Category Entertainment News

Patricia Crowley has died aged 91, with her son Jon Hookstratten, an executive vp administration and operations at Sony Pictures Entertainment, announcing the news.

The Dynasty icon died Sunday of natural causes in Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband, Andy Friendly, whom she married in 1986.

Before her marriage to Andy, she was married to Ed Hookstratten, who was a sports and entertainment attorney who represented Elvis Presley, Johnny Carson and Vin Scully.

Patricia was best known for her role as Joan Nash on the 1960s NBC comedy Please Don’t Eat The Daisies, which aired for two series. Her character was a newspaper writer and a mother of four rowdy boys.

The family lived in a home that looked like a castle, and they even had a giant sheepdog, Ladadog. Patricia was also known for her roles in Dynasty, Forever Female and Money From Home.

Patricia played Sally Carver in Forever Female, which starred Ginger Rogers and William Holden. In Money From Home, she played Dr Autumn Claypool alongside Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

Her roles in Forever Female and Money from Home got her the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress.

She also starred in the likes of Red Garters, There’s Always Tomorrow, The Square Jungle, Walk the Proud Land and The Wheeler Dealers.

In 1951, she starred as Judy Foster in A Date with Judy. She also made guest appearances in The Untouchables, The Lieutenant, Crossroads, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Riverboat, Rawhide, Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Twilight Zone and more. In 1961, she starred as Josie Thompson in 87th Precinct.

Not only did she act, but she also sang and danced on The Dean Martin Show and appeared on Charlie’s Angels, Hawaii 5-0, Murder, She Wrote, Frasier and Friends.

Later on in her career, she appeared as Emily Fallmont on 10 episodes of Dynasty in 1986.

In the 2000s, Patricia appeared in The Bold and the Beautiful, The Closer and Cold Case in 2009. Her final appearance came in the film Mont Reve (2012).

The icon was born in 1933 in Olyphant, Pennsylvania, the daughter of a coal miner. She joined her older sister to New York City, who landed a role in the chorus of Oklahoma! on Broadway. She attended the High School of Performing Arts.

When she was a senior in high school, Patricia made her Broadway debut in 1950 as the lead in the comedy Southern Exposure.

She is survived by her husband and her son, along with her daughter, Ann; son-in-law Robert; daughter-in-law Marion; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

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Lewis Cope has accidentally revealed who he is partnered with on Strictly Come Dancing. The Emmerdale star joined the cast late after Game of Thrones actor Kristian Nairn pulled out of the show. But Lewis joined the cast with enough time to film the launch show on Wednesday (10 September) and has since been rehearsing with his partner.

In a video uploaded to his Instagram stories and TikTok, the actor talked about how tough his first day was whilst still in the rehearsal studio. As he’s talking, his partner shouts from off-screen: “What do you think of your partner?”

Lewis tried to edit his own voice over the top but failed to cover the first word. While he was praised by fans for his smooth editing and even posted a story in which he wrote, “Oops that was close nearly left her voice in lol”, some have started to speculate who his partner is and used that first word to narrow it down.

Current speculation has suggested Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones and Jowita Przystał as his partner. Dianne won last year’s season with Chris McCausland, whilst Katya was partnered with Wynne Evans and Jowita with Pete Wicks. Both Katya and Jowita are former winners, with the former taking home the glitterball in 2017 with Joe McFadden and the latter doing the same in 2022 with Hamza Yassin.

One fan said: “Impeccable editing there.” While another went on to write: “5 more sleeps until Strictly can’t wait.” While a third typed: “I’m so proud of you.” Strictly Come Dancing declined to comment when approached by the Mirror.

This is not the first blunder from Lewis, as the actor also leaked elements of the cast photo by mistakenly uploading behind-the-scenes footage ahead of this year’s launch show, which is aired on Saturday 20 September. He quickly deleted the video, but not before it was seen by many.

This is also the third potential spoiler for the whole season. Earlier this month, an X account left fans in uproar after posting the pairings for the show, though these are unconfirmed despite the insistence of the account user.

Another X user commented their unhappiness with the spoiler: “So many people work incredibly hard to make strictly what it is each year, and leaking things early just for views is unfair and disrespectful. but of course it’s no surprise which couple of people can’t resist the spotlight…”

But Lewis’ participation in the show has also come under fire after his dance past was revealed. Speaking about joining the show, Lewis – who has starred on Emmerdale as Nicky Miligan – said: “I’m so excited to be swapping the Dales for the dance floor and joining this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve always been a fan of the show and cannot wait to get started!”

Lewis only found out just days before the announcement that he was joining the show. However, he has a secret dance past that may become his key to success on the show.

The actor grew up with his brothers Adam, Danny and Peter, who all won the Northern area title as professional fighters. Yet, Lewis chose a different career – dancing.

When he was just 11-years-old, Lewis landed one of the leading roles in Billy Elliot: The Musical in London’s West End. “I never got any stick at school – it probably helped that I had brothers in every year and that they were boxers,” he said.

“But I was also able to charm and joke with classmates, so it was never a big thing. I was very lucky, for somebody else it could have been different.”

Lewis even caught the attention of David Beckham, who asked him to be part of his 2020 fragrance advert for Bold Instinct. “I’m from a family of 14,” he explained.

“Most of my brothers are boxers, but I chose to dance. David used my story to encourage people to be themselves. We spent a day filming and he interviewed me; he was such a nice guy.” Lewis turned to dance when he was 10-years-old after trying out a number of sports. “My mum was really supportive,” he recalled. Just a year later, he bagged the role of Michael, Billy Elliot’s gay best friend, alongside Hollywood star Tom Holland.

“I moved to London on my own and lived in ‘The Billy House’, which housed all the kids from the show,” he previously said. “We were young kids in our first jobs but had so much fun.”

After a year Lewis moved back home and joined street dance group Ruff Diamond, who became runners up in Sky’s Got To Dance in 2013. At 18, Lewis went to drama school and has appeared in Vera, Doctors and Hetty Feather.

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Scary Spice indeed! Mel B’s daughter Phoenix reveals what her mum said to encourage her to find her own success

Melanie Brown MBE’s daughter Phoenix Brown has revealed how her mum once encouraged her to find her own success and step out of her “shadow”. The Spice Girl told her daughter: “I’m the famous one and you’re not!”

The 26-year-old daughter of Scary Spice, a DJ and artist, addressed nepo baby claims in an interview and said she quickly realised she couldn’t coast on her mother’s coattails.

“My mum kind of let me know that ‘I’m the famous one and you’re not’. That quickly made me realise that I got to find who I am and not be a shadow. So, I’ve just had a journey with that.”

Phoenix has known all her life that her mother was famous and is well-aware that she is often labelled as a nepo baby because of Mel’s stardom. She’s never shied away from the term and even addressed it in a Channel 4 documentary, Born in the Limelight – Nep Babies: Untold.

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Speaking about the show, she told the Daily Mail: “I was so nervous to do it just because it was such a taboo subject. I was like, well, it can go in one or two ways, people can absolutely hate it, mug me off, or they can actually listen and question themselves on it not just being about celebrities, it’s everywhere and it’s all-around life.”

Phoenix, who is about to make her London Fashion debut, added that she doesn’t “shy away” from the label, but would rather people call her by her name when talking about her.

“It is what it is. I’m not going to shy away from the fact that I am a nepo baby, so go ahead, call me that. But my name is Phoenix.” Phoenix also explained that she encouraged her mother to have a second wedding to Rory McPhee, which was held in Marrakesh.

Phoenix explained that following their nuptials at St Paul’s Cathedral, they may as well have had a second ceremony, as the Brown family tends to go all out.

Melanie had also invited Phoenix to DJ at the reception. And while she declined the offer, a DJ did play some of their favourite songs throughout the night – including Spice Girls anthems.

This was a no-brainer for Phoenix, who says she is the biggest Spice Girls fan. She insists that at any event, people ought to pay homage to her mother’s band, who are the biggest-selling girl band of all time.

She admits that, like her mother, she wants the band to head back on the road again following the success of their 2019 UK stadium tour, which Victoria Beckham did not take part in.

Instead, Posh Spice had prior commitments with her fashion business. Speaking previously to the Mirror, Melanie struggled to contain her happiness over Phoenix, admitting that, like her, she’s a force to be reckoned with.

The Mirror, the Feels So Good singer praised her daughter and their tight bond. Speaking from her home, Melanie laughed when asked if she and Pheonix are more like sisters than mother and daughter, before adding: “Phoenix is always my daughter. We get on really well and we can have fun together, have a laugh together, and discuss anything we want to discuss with full openness but she is always my daughter.

“No one can make me laugh like Phoenix can, I did have her young so she’s been with me every step of my life. I’m incredibly proud of her.”

Melanie added: “She’s been incredibly supportive of my work as Patron of Women’s Aid and works with Women’s Aid herself going into schools, and talking to kids about the effect living in an abusive situation can have on them. She’s an amazing young woman,” she gushed.

A major documentary on The X Factor is reportedly in development but bosses are hoping to get Simon Cowell on board to explore the ‘highs and lows’ of the talent show

A major documentary on The X Factor is reportedly in development. The now-defunct ITV competition series initially aired from 2004 until 2018 and discovered stars such as One Direction, Leona Lewis, and Olly Murs, among scores of others.

Over the course of 14 years, wannabe singers attended open auditions for the show and were mentored by superstar judges like Cheryl, Sharon Osbourne, Louis Walsh and Gary Barlow for the chance to land a £1 million recording contract and launch a single in time for Christmas. The whole format was headed up by music mogul Simon Cowell, and winners such as Alexandra Burke, former Coronation Street star Shayne Ward and Joe McElderry were signed to his Syco record label.

But in the years since the programme’s demise, contestants such as Janet Devlin and Katie Waissel have spoken out about the negative impact the show had on their mental health. In October last year, One Direction star Liam Payne died after falling from a balcony at the age of 31, more than a decade after he took part in the show and found global superstardom as part of the world’s first billion-dollar boyband.

READ MORE: Could X Factor make a comeback as Strictly struggles in wake of the endless scandals?READ MORE: Katie Waissel retrains in law to sue Simon Cowell after ‘The X Factor ruined my life’

According to insiders, the programme, which has yet to be ‘fully greenlit,’ will speak to those ‘closest’ to the show’s production, but bosses are hoping to get Simon himself to agree to take part.

A source said: “This will be a definitive, ­premium series about a true entertainment TV ­jugg­ernaut. Those closest to the story will be approached to be in the show, both in front of and behind the camera, and discussions are ongoing.

“It follows on from Sky Docs’ history of authentic and unfiltered documentaries, notably the recent ­Boyzone biopic. The doc has yet to be fully greenlit, despite now being at an advanced stage of development, but ­persuading Simon to take part could be the final piece of the jigsaw.”

The insider added that the documentary will not shy away from asking ‘difficult questions’ that have stemmed from accusations made regarding bullying, manipulation and overall practices that were carried out during filming.

Speaking to The Sun, the source claimed: “The documentary is likely to lift the lid on both the highs and lows of the show and won’t flinch from asking difficult questions of the biggest players.”

At its peak, The X Factor pulled in record figures of 17.7 million viewers when Matt Cardle was crowned winner in 2010, whilst 12.8 million tuned in in late 2008 to watch US megastar Britney Spears lip-sync to her track Womaniser. Other A-Listers like Whitney Houston, Beyoncé and Rihanna also turned up for guest performances during the show’s lengthy run.

Even though the show has not been on air for several years now, clips continue to receive millions of views online. Clips of unsuccessful auditionees such as Rachel Lester, Ariel Burdett, and the memorable punch-up with girl duo Ablisa regularly go viral and, therefore, generate revenue for the programme’s production company.

Just days ago, celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius spoke to The Mirror about a potential comeback for the programme and weighed in on the idea of how it would all play out with regards to mental health care. Speaking on behalf of OLBG, she explained: “It would be tricky to replicate X Factor in its original form today. Audiences have become much more aware of the pressures reality contestants face, and social media has played a huge role in that, allowing former contestants and insiders to share what really went on behind the scenes.

“That’s opened people’s eyes to the more staged aspects of talent shows, and it’s unlikely we’d see the same kind of ‘bad auditions’ that became such a big part of the early years.

“Among the generation old enough to remember it, there’s still so much nostalgia and goodwill attached to X Factor, and that could be a powerful pull if it was ever to return. But to make it work, the show would need to reinvent itself – not just rely on the formula that worked fifteen years ago.

“It would have to address the way people now discover music, build careers and connect with fans. Done right, it could have a second life, but it would need to feel relevant rather than just a re-run of the past.

“One way to do that would be to adapt the format into an online series rather than sticking solely to primetime TV. If done cleverly, it could actually reach a much bigger audience online than it might ever achieve on live TV, particularly given the way music and talent discovery happen across digital platforms today.”

Emmerdale star Rosie Bentham has opened up about her secret boyfriend of three years for the first time, as she admits she would love to get married one day

Emmerdale’s Gabby Thomas, played by Rosie Bentham, may be unlucky in love on-screen, but off-screen it’s a different story. The actress is smitten with her secret boyfriend of three years and has finally decided to share details about their romance and potential wedding plans.

Rosie, 24, admitted she began dating her current beau a few years ago, but until now, they’ve managed to keep their blossoming relationship out of the public eye.

She revealed that they were introduced by a mutual friend and amusingly, her boyfriend hadn’t even watched Emmerdale before their first date. “We were introduced by a mutual friend and he knew what I did for a job but hadn’t seen the programme! His mum and grandparents watch Emmerdale, though.”

READ MORE: Emmerdale star teases Gabby’s secret as soap legend returns with a bombshell

Rosie went on to tell The Sun: “I am happy, and I am glad my life is a lot more peaceful than Gabby’s! We’ve been together for nearly three years. He is a quantity surveyor and lives in Yorkshire. We are both really into our health and fitness.”

Her mystery man prefers to stay anonymous and, unlike Rosie, is content to avoid the limelight. When asked about how they’ve managed to keep their romance private for so long, she confirmed that he accompanied her to the recent Soap Awards – but went unnoticed.

She went on to say that her boyfriend isn’t interested in the fame aspect of Rosie’s life, which she completely respects. However, she does enjoy him attending glitzy events with her.

The pair went to the Soap Awards together, which Rosie says he “loved” after getting a behind-the-scenes look into her everyday work life. But when they’re at home, there’s no talk about Emmerdale, or indeed her career.

But while she’s known to millions as Gabby, her boyfriend finds it highly amusing when fans approach Rosie in the street and address her by her on-screen name.

Despite being together for three years, they haven’t moved in together yet, but she admits that she hopes they will tie the knot in the future, as she’s “certainly” fussed about getting married.

And unlike her screen life, it won’t be a grand affair; it will be a more casual wedding ceremony held in the UK. Rosie, however, has already tried on her fair share of wedding dresses – purely for work, though.

She told the publication that she had to try on a string of dresses for her character, Gabby, when she was due to marry Nicky on the ITV soap opera. One dress was a huge Hollywood-esque gown, with huge curls in her hair and caked with make-up.

But the wedding shop had a bit of a surprise when Rosie had to tell them she was there to try dresses on for her character, rather than for herself.

Viewers can see the wedding play out this week on Emmerdale, with more to be revealed about the couple’s drama.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with an hour-long episode on Thursdays.

Little Mix star Perrie Edwards is set to join the upcoming documentary Girlbands Forever on the BBC, while a string of very famous faces are believed to have rejected an offer

Former Little Mix star Perrie Edwards is set to make an appearance in the bombshell new documentary, Girlbands Forever, on the BBC. This has come as a shock to many as stars from other girl groups, including Girls Aloud and Spice Girls, have declined to be in the show. It is speculated that this is because last year’s documentary Boybands Forever did not paint the boy band phenomenon in the best light.

The previous documentary did not include One Direction either, who, like Little Mix, initially found fame through the ITV show X Factor. At the time, viewers thought this was because the band were from the 2010s, while the documentary focused on the height of the boy band craze in the 1990s and 2000s.

Given that the BBC has said the documentary will also focus on this period, Little Mix were expected to be excluded. Louis Theroux, who is producing the new documentary, said: “Going back and rediscovering all that music and those videos and the interviews they did has been an absolute pleasure.

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“There was pain behind the music, too, and as is so often the case, there was a price to be paid for that level of young fame. But mainly we wanted this to be a celebration of a time of very special music and talent.”

Perrie is not the only name to sign on to the show. Heidi Range from the Sugababes, Kéllé Bryan of Eternal and Kerry Katona of Atomic Kitten are all set to be involved, as are All Saints’ Melanie Blatt, Misteeq’s Su-Elise Nash and NDubz Tulisa, who was Little Mix’s judge on X Factor.

According to The Sun, Tulisa appears in the documentary despite being the only girl in her band, which means N-Dubz is not part of the phenomenon discussed in the show.

The outlet also claims that Pete Tong, Pete Waterman and BBC Radio DJ Scott Mills will also appear in the documentary, having worked in the music industry for decades/

The Mirror has reached out to Perrie’s team for a comment about her involvement but has not had a response. Earlier this month, Perrie also revealed she was pregnant with her second child. Her Little Mix bandmates were among the first to congratulate her on the news when she announced it on Instagram.

Taking to social media in view of her 18.8million followers, the If He Wanted to He Would hitmaker shared an adorable video of the news, showing off her bump and featuring a rare glimpse of her son Axel and partner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Perrie, 32 said in the caption: “Guess what hunnies…” followed by a heart emoji.

The caption is in reference to a lyric in her song If He Wanted To He Would. The black and white video sees Perrie walking away from the camera with her back to the lens. She is sporting a T-shirt with the words: “If He Wanted To He Would…” emblazoned on the back.

Jade Thirwall, who is currently celebrating the release of her debut album, said: “Love you and so happy for you all.” Leigh-Anne Pinnock added: “Just the best news! Love you all.”

Girlbands Forever will air later this year on BBC Two and iPlayer.