Steve Mensch, the president and general manager of Tyler Perry Studios’ studio operations, tragically passed away in a plane crash at the age of 62, according to Tyler Perry.
Highway Patrol located him while he was piloting a plane off the Gulf Coast of Florida, just outside of Tampa, and the rest of his story is still being looked into. No other fatalities have been reported.
“We are incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Steve Mensch. Steve has been a valued member of our team for more than 8 years and is regarded highly in Atlanta’s community, according to Tyler Perry Studios’ statement.
“It’s difficult to imagine not noticing him grinning all over the halls. We will miss him dearly. As we all pray for his family, our hearts are with them.
Tyler Perry (Getty Images) paid tribute to his late coworker.
In a heartbreaking statement, Perry also paid tribute to Mensch. The actor, who has run the entertainment company since 2016, claimed that without his business partner, it was incredibly difficult to imagine a world.
The actor wrote in the lengthy Instagram caption: “This time of year, grief meets me like an unwanted visitor, as tomorrow marks 15 years since the loss of my mother. This year, I lost so many friends and mentors, some as young as 40 to 92, making it even more difficult. And today, yet another loss.
“I’ve been trying to understand what went wrong with that plane all day. Steve loved flying, and he loved that plane, he took so much pride in it.
“Steve Mensch was a truly kind person and a fantastic studio manager.” He was adored by everyone, and we are devastated that he has died. As we all try to understand this heartache, I’m praying for his family. Life is but a moment, we are like vapors. Hold strong to the people you love AND TELL THEM”, he concluded.
Steve sadly died at the age of 62 (Getty Images)
Perry purchased a 300-acre lot in Atlanta in order to start Tyler Perry Studios, which was based in Atlanta in 2006.
The studio boasts permanent sets including a a luxury hotel lobby, a White House replica, a 16, 000-square-foot mansion, a mock cheap hotel, a commercial plane, and a real 1950s-style diner that was relocated from a town 100 miles away.
Mensch was there for the entire experience. His wife and three children make up the late businessman.
Away from television screens, Gino D’Acampo shares three children with his wife of 20 years.
The 47-year-old Italian star has been accused of inappropriate behavior toward a woman he worked with between 2006 and 2011. In light of the numerous allegations made against BBC MasterChef’s presenter Gregg Wallace, the unnamed woman filed a complaint with ITV bosses last week.
It comes after reports that ITV is slowly cutting off Gino, 48, due to a wave of alleged abuse he committed. After refusing to sign a morality contract clause, he was forced out of Gordon, Gino, and Fred: Road Trip, and concerned executives have taken him on a language and behavior course.
Gino, who gained notoriety on I’m a celeb and This Morning, has been married to Jessica Stellina Morrison for 22 years. She credits her with being the catalyst for his immigration to the UK. Years later, the couple wed while they were teenagers at a Marbella restaurant.
The couple share two sons and a daughter (Instagram)
Gino and Jessica tied the knot in 2002 (WireImage)
He once said that not spending a lot of time together is the key to their union. Gino revealed: “Jessica and I don’t really spend any time together. I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve lasted for 20 years. It’s a good thing, I don’t really want to know everything my wife does because otherwise, she will be boring to me”.
He also believes Jessica’s laid-back attitude helps with their long-term romance. Speaking to Weekend magazine in 2019, Gino said: “When I met my wife I realised she was an extremely generous, clever woman. If you try to cage men, it won’t work. I have a lot of freedom.
But when they do get together, it’s pretty special, and the couple try to make the most of their date nights. Gino once said, “We have very little food on date night; we just have something quick to eat, and then we move on to other things that go on date nights”!
Gino with his eldest so Luciano (Gino D’Acampo/Instagram)
His eldest is friends with Gordon’s daughter (Getty Images)
Gino and Jessica share three children: Luciano, 22, Rocco, 19, and Mia, 12. They own two incredible family homes, one of which is a Grade II-listed townhouse in Hertfordshire and the other of which is a holiday rental on Sardinia, an island island in Italy, for the duration of the year.
Gino has acknowledged that he is the stricter parent of the two after talking about their parenting methods in the past. He told Woman magazine: “You can see my wife look at the children, saying with her eyes ‘ Don’t even think about it, he’s not going to bend'”.
He has raised the family to enjoy all kinds of cooking and enjoys taking them to the park and the pub. Gino said: “My kids are not allowed to be fussy eaters. Parents who are stupid are the problem with fussy kids. We have no other options in our home because we run a family kitchen. I never had options, why should they”?
Gordon feared Tilly (Copyright unknown) was Gino’s son was dating.
Gino and Gordon Ramsay became good friends through their ITV road trip show, and it’s not just the parents who fell in love. Gordon once got flustered when Tilly started becoming friendly with Gino’s eldest son, Luciano, leading to an awkward conversation.
Gino was video calling his son while they were driving through Mexico in a hilarious scene from Gordon, Gino, and Fred: Road Trip. Luciano revealed he was out for dinner with Tilly, so furious Gordon cried: “What the hell? Tilly! What are you doing? Matilda”?
In an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, Gordon joked that Tilly and Gino might end up having one another as father-in-law, but downplayed the possibility, saying that they were “just friends.” Because Gino was a “very handsome man,” Jonathan joked that he didn’t believe him to be Luciano’s father.
Although, when Jonathan asked if it was an “arranged marriage”, Gordon described the situation as a “f***ing nightmare”. When Tilly suddenly appears behind them while FaceTiming Luciano and we are having lunch in San Francisco, Gordon said. I think they are friends”.
The biggest events in Ollie Locke’s adult life have occurred on screen, from his sexual discovery to his marriage and becoming a parent. The Made In Chelsea regular, who joined the show for its first series in 2011, has shared the good, the bad and the ugly on the E4 show – and as he tells OK!, he has no regrets.
“My entire 20s were captured on a high-resolution camera. No one gets that”, says Ollie, laughing. “Life is difficult for lots of people, including us”, he says. Therefore, it’s a real honor to be able to sit back and make someone smile on a Monday night. What a joy it would be if we could make them laugh for ten seconds while preventing them from thinking about their lives.
In July 2023, Ollie and husband Gareth gave birth to twins Cosima and Apollo via a surrogate (Instagram).
Ollie admits little Apollo’s hospital op was ‘ horrific ‘ (Jordan Peck/Getty Images)
Ollie’s dedication to TV has come with its ultimate highs, such as the 2020 episode, which aired his wedding to husband Gareth Locke at the Natural History Museum in London. “We’ll always have that memory of getting married on TV, which not many people can say they have”, says Ollie, 37. “Our wedding was attended by 3.5 million people, and it’s amazing that our kids can watch their parents get married,” said the president. It’s lovely”.
Extreme lows have also been a part of the drama, such as the couple’s revelations on camera in 2021 that their surrogate had a six-week miscarriage. “We put all the rawness of our relationship on camera”, says Ollie. “We found out on camera that we had lost our babies after I said to the producers, ‘ If I’m going to do this, I will do it properly. ‘ Whatever transpired was recorded and that I instructed them to keep the cameras rolling. Then we found out. Some extremely powerful and raw material.
After a number of unsuccessful IVF attempts and miscarriages, Ollie and Gareth decided to become parents to Apollo Magnus Obi and Cosima Emily Bex. When we inquire about the twins, Ollie’s eyes immediately catch on fire as a doting father. “It’s the best experience I’ve ever had in my life”, he says. “I can’t imagine life without it – it’s bizarre. Cosi is a bit of a monkey. She is smiley, and Apollo is a total boy who enjoys throwing objects and rolling off them.
Ollie and Gareth, who started dating in 2018 after years of friendship, have certainly got their hands full with the twins. Admitting that becoming a family of four has been a difficult adjustment, Ollie explains, “At the beginning, Gareth would take Apollo and I had Cosi when it came to changing and night-times and all that kind of stuff. Otherwise, with twins, it’s mental. You stay awake the entire night before returning to sleep two hours later.
Gareth and the former Made in Chelsea star started dating in 2018 (PA).
They tied the knot in MIC’s first ever televised wedding in 2020 (ollielockeworld/Instagram)
We were “eager,” and there were unquestionably some initial tears. You’re not yourself in any manner – you’re a completely different person. You never realize how difficult it is to raise a child until you become a parent yourself until you see my mother again. It makes you more grateful. “
While Ollie and Gareth have been through a difficult time, Apollo has been in the hospital since he was born to undergo an operation. We’re OK and he’s fine, “says Ollie, who doesn’t disclose what the operation was for but says it was a tumultuous time for the family.
” It was absolutely horrendous. It’s really, really difficult having any child go on general anaesthetic, but it’s awful having your baby not understand what that is because he’s too young. It was traumatising. I spent three hours crying while he was having surgery; I simply didn’t have anything to do. I just stayed there and cried. I was like, ‘ This is just the worst. ‘
Because he needed extra assistance with his issues, we had to follow a different routine for the first few weeks afterward. So that was certainly quite a hard one, I must admit. But he’s back to normal now. He’s happy and smiley and doesn’t have to go in for another operation, which they thought he might have to”.
After such a difficult period, Ollie is in need of some festive spirit and can’t wait for the twins ‘ second Christmas. “Cosi walked the best she could have ever do today, and I think she’ll be able to walk properly by Christmas.” So hopefully this Christmas will be a bit easier because, right now, they are crawling in different directions”.
This Christmas, the couple will have what they call a “straggler” (OK! ). /Sam Riley)
What exactly have the couple planned for the holiday season? “Well, we do this thing called a ‘ straggler Christmas’, which is basically where we invite anyone we know who isn’t from the UK but is here for Christmas to our house”, says Ollie. “So this year we have a bit of a celeb-filled day. There will be]reality star] Stephanie Pratt,]Broadway star] Billy Porter,]singer] Parson James and two of the Made In Chelsea cast, but I can’t say who.
” The twins will love it too – they’re very well socialised. We have always believed that integrating the babies into our social lives should be done so that we can still have fun with our friends and engage in activities together.
Ollie informs us that the family will travel on vacation to spend quality time with each other after their busy Christmas Day. But before that, he needs to get his Christmas shopping in order, something he admittedly” hasn’t thought about”. Olivia is partnering with Virgin Experience Days and considering giving some of her experiences to friends this year.
” There’s hundreds if not thousands of experiences on the Virgin Experience Days website and it’s extraordinary, “he says”. I think, for anyone who’s busy, that would be a lovely gift – to be able to go and give a full day of doing something wonderful. Things that are right on our doorstep are taken for granted by us. While scrolling through my phone, I passed Buckingham Palace the other day. I was like, ‘ What are you doing? Take it in! ‘ “
Ollie and Gareth enjoyed their own Virgin Experience Day out recently, which included indoor skydiving, a trip to a spa, a six-course dinner and a night in a glamorous hotel”. According to Ollie, as Gareth is not the adrenaline junkie that he is, the indoor skydiving was more for him. It was fab but also very frightening. When we got to the spa, that was much more my thing. “
Virgin Experience Days and Ollie have collaborated to create a limited number of exclusive experiences for a limited time. To shop Ollie Locke’s Perfect Day, see virginexperiencedays. co. uk/ollie-locke-collection
No elves, no dwarves, and not a hobbit in sight: “The Lord of the Rings” returns to the big screen this month with a new Japanese anime-style movie about the warring men of J. R. R. Tolkien’s fictional universe.
Out in theaters December 13, “The War of the Rohirrim” is a prequel that takes place nearly two centuries before Peter Jackson’s original Oscar-winning films, which were themselves adapted from Tolkien’s fantasy books.
There are no magical rings or all-powerful Dark Lords this time around, unlike the first “Lord of the Rings” movies or the subpar “The Hobbit” movies that came after.
“You look at the original trilogy, you’re talking hobbits and elves and dwarves and monsters”, director Kenji Kamiyama told a recent press conference.
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The new film is instead “rooted in human drama and emotion… greed and power”, said the Japanese artist, who has previously worked on animated versions of “Star Wars” and “Blade Runner”.
The next “Rings” movie will be an anime, according to Hollywood studio Warner Bros., which is a distinctively Japanese visual style and genre that has gained acclaim in recent years.
Tolkien’s beloved novels were the subject of a series of illustrious, invented histories that filmmakers searched through.
A brief description of a civil war between a king and a rebellious nobleman was soon adopted.
“It wasn’t a case of, ‘ we’ve got the story, what form of animation are we going to tell it in? ‘” said producer Philippa Boyens, who also co-wrote the “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies.
“It was actually the opposite way around. Something about this particular story was incomprehensible in the context of the world-renowned anime tradition.
That tradition means themes such as honor, loyalty, hubris — and a fearsome female protagonist, in the ilk of Studio Ghibli’s famous “Princess Mononoke”.
‘ Boss girl ‘
“The War of the Rohirrim” is set in Rohan, the kingdom of horse-riding, Viking-looking warriors that featured prominently in Jackson’s 2002 movie “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”.
The animated movie revisits key locations from that film — such as the epic battleground fortress of Helm’s Deep — and is narrated by Miranda Otto, who played a heroic female Rohan warrior, Eowyn, in Jackson’s trilogy.
The plot begins with the ambitious Lord Freca’s desire to wed his son, Rohan’s daughter, Hera.
Freca mounts a vicious challenge to the throne but is fatally rejected when the proud monarch contemptuously rejects the offer.
His son, who has been sent into exile, cultivates a massive rebellion that will endanger the entire kingdom.
Tolkien didn’t even bother to mention the princess in his lengthy historical footnotes, despite the fact that she is a key player in the conflict.
But Boyens was fascinated by the idea of expanding this mysterious character, who witnesses and links the new film’s various heroes, villains and battles.
“We didn’t want her to be some warrior princess, superhero, boss girl”, said Boyens.
“We wanted her to feel real. She’s full of curiosity, she makes mistakes”.
Jackson himself served as an executive producer for the new film, but “stepped back” from day-to-day involvement, encouraging Kamiyama to put his own anime stamp on the film, according to Boyens.
“Elements of the live-action (films) creep into the world”, she said. However, they “crepped in very beautifully around the edge.”
“Storywise, we obviously wanted to stay true to the Tolkien universe… but at the same time staying true to what we do best — which was just to make anime”, agreed Kamiyama.
Squid Game is back. Netflix’s most popular show ever, a dystopian South Korean vision of divided society, premieres its highly-anticipated second season on Monday as Seoul battles real-life policial chaos.
The show’s return comes shortly after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law before being forced into a dramatic reversal by vengeful lawmakers who battled heavily-armed soldiers in parliament.
Yoon Suk Yeol, president of South Korea, is seen giving an address at the presidential office in Seoul in this handout photo that was taken and released on December 7, 2024 by the South Korean Presidential Office. (Photo by Handout/South Korean Presidential Office/AFP)
Yoon is still in office despite being the victim of an impeachment attempt, his party being accused of staging a “second coup” to maintain control, the opposition vowing to try to remove him once more, and massive street demonstrations are anticipated this weekend.
“Squid Game”, an ultra-violent tale exploring themes of division and inequality, is considered to be one of the most significant works in solidifying South Korea’s status as a global cultural powerhouse, alongside the Oscar-winning film “Parasite” and K-pop megastars BTS.
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Hwang Dong-hyuk, who wrote and directed both seasons of the show, said he was feeling “heavy-hearted” by what happened in his country ahead of the show’s second season red carpet premiere on Monday, with global release set for December 26.
On December 9, 2024, Hwang Dong-hyuk, a South Korean director, holds a press conference for the Netflix series “Squid Game Season 2” at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
“It is extremely unfortunate and infuriating… that the entire nation cannot sleep due to such absurd circumstances”, he said at a press conference in Seoul.
Participants run as they participate in a game based on the South Korean TV series “Squid Game” on Netflix’s Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris on December 1, 2024. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP)
Due to the political chaos, South Koreans have had “to take to the streets, and must spend the end of the year filled with anxiety, fear, and depression”, he said, adding he had stayed up all night to watch the martial law events unfold in live news broadcasts.
He urged “the person responsible” for the real-life drama, President Yoon, to accept responsibility “whether it is through impeachment or voluntary resignation”.
‘ In the abyss ‘
A “crypto expert” with a lot of debt and a transgender person who can’t afford gender confirmation surgery are two brand-new young characters in Squid Game Season 2.
The main protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, played by megastar Lee Jung-jae, returns and joins the game again.
Just Riadh (C), Inoxtag (R), and Maghla (R), French YouTubers, participate in a game based on the South Korean TV show “Squid Game” on Netflix’s Champs Elysees Avenue on December 1, 2024. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP)
Three years after Gi-hun won the first season, the second season is set for violent life-and-death games, spoiler alert!
The “Hallyu” or “korean wave” — the seemingly unstoppable rise of South Korean content that was first recognized by many in the West following Psy’s 2012 breakout hit song “Gangnam Style” — was a high point for the “Hallyu” or Korean wave.
Before the debut of Season 2, on the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris on December 1, 2024, “Squid Game guardians” take part in a game based on the South Korean TV show “Squid Game” on Netflix. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP)
3, 000 people in the film industry said in a statement this week that President Yoon’s weakened government had put all of this in danger.
Hallyu has “fallen into the abyss” thanks to Yoon’s decision to declare martial law, the group, which includes luminaries like “Parasite” director Bong Joon-ho, said Sunday.
The Martial Law Command will have control over all media and publications during the six hours of martial law.
What appears to be a mere delusion has actually occurred, according to a statement from South Korean film industry workers calling for Yoon’s exit and arrest.
On December 9, 2024, visitors to the Seoul-based Dongdaemun Design Plaza look around an “Squid Game Season 2” activation area. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
“For Korean filmmakers, Yoon Suk Yeol is no longer the president. He is just a red-handed criminal for treason”.
Most watched show
The show’s first season was loosely inspired by South Korea’s real-life tragedy of a crackdown on a 2009 Ssangyong Motor strike, which resulted in around 30 people taking their own lives or dying of stress-related causes.
A North Korean defector and an indebted, laid-off worker were two of the most marginalized people in the fiercely competitive South, as were some of the characters in the series.
Prior to the debut of Season 2, on the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris on December 1, 2024, a “Squid Game guardian” participates in a game based on the South Korean TV show “Squid Game” on Netflix. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP)
In somewhat mysterious circumstances, the two teams compete for an unimaginable fortune in traditional children’s games where all the winners face death.
With more than 330 million views as of Monday, the first season still has the record for the streaming giant’s most watched series of all time.
According to Hwang, the key to the success of the first season of “Squid Game” was the lack of “links” to the “society we live in.”
South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk (R) leaves after a photo session with actors (1st row L-R) Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young, Kang Ha-neul, (2nd row L-R) Yang Dong-geun, Lee Seo-hwan, Kang Ae-sim, Jo Yu-ri and Wi Ha-jun during a press conference for the Netflix series “Squid Game Season 2” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on December 9, 2024. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)
Even in the upcoming second season, viewers will be able to “find scenes that connect the absurd conflicts, divisions, and upheavals happening in our country and around the world”, he said.
Squid Game’s “Watching” doesn’t seem to be particularly out of place in terms of how we view the world.
After being rejected from Sunday’s BBC competition, Pete Wicks is reportedly hoping to land on the first flight to Australia to reunite with Maura Higgins.
Before they were forced to break up after Maura flew to Australia to take part in I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, the former TOWIE star Pete, 36, had been dating Maura, 34, for a while.
Before beginning a romance, Maura admitted that she had been dating Pete for five years while they were in the jungle. However, it appears that Pete had repeatedly expressed his emotions to Maura and kept winning her over.
After months of rumors, Maura finally admitted she had been seeing Pete during a sincere conversation with her campmate Oti Mabuse. Maura had to accept the reality TV star’s advances, but Oxi inquired what had changed. And in response, the Irish star simply said: “He wouldn’t give up”.
On Sunday night (PA), Pete was voted out of Strictly.
Maura admitted to carrying her friends on their first date by admitting she had no desire to admit it because she had been romantically involved with Pete. She responded to Oti, “I actually brought my friends with me and I was like, “See it’s a friendship date. After a boozy night out, the pair enjoyed another date without her pals around. They had oysters and wine on the way home.
Before the Strictly semi-finals, Maura showed her loyalty to Pete by sending him a good-bye message. Unfortunately, Pete and his dance partner Jowita Przystal were unable to make it to the end of the dreaded dance-off for the first time at Sunday’s Results Show.
Strictly fans are now anticipating Pete’s reunification with Maura in Australia. “I wonder if Pete Wicks is on the plane to Australia already”, one questioned. Another echoed: “I wonder if Pete’s on the place to Australia already? Maura and the #ImACeleb party are likely holding out for him. #Strictly”.
Pete and Maura have been dating for a while (GC Images).
The pair’s relationship (Tik Tok) makes sense.
“I hope Pete makes his finger official with Maura by pulling his finger out now.” She is actually such a queen!!!!! He now has no excuses not to spoil her because he doesn’t have the Strictly distraction, another person said.
Pete reportedly told friends that he wanted to “make it official” with Maura once she leaves the jungle and that he had made no commitments to her on television with I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing.
