Russell Brand, a renowned animal hospital’s vice president, has been fired. The comic, 49, was accused of rape and sexual assault in response.
The Metropolitan Police wrote to Brand to let him know that he was facing charges of rape, oral rape, and two additional counts of sexual assault, and he has since refuted the allegations.
The comic had left his position as Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital’s vice-president, which he has been holding since 2019. The charity cares for British wildlife that is injured, or orphaned.
Colin Stocker, the hospital’s CEO, said in a statement to the Mirror that the hospital’s CEO, “met and immediately removed Mr. Brand from his ambassador position at Tiggywinkles indefinitely.” During any police investigation, we are unable to add any more information.
Brand responded to the accusations made last week in a new video posted to X by saying, “What I never was, was a rapist.” I’ve never engaged in “unconsensual behavior.”
He continued, “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity I now have to defend these allegations in court.”
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Although long-time Coronation Street star Jack P. Shephard is reportedly planning a wedding on Celebrity Big Brother, the relationship has been turbulent for him.
Jack P Shepherd and Hanni Treweek are set to tie the knot in July(Image: Instagram)
Coronation Street star Jack P Shepherd is taking a break from wedding planning to appear on Celebrity Big Brother – but it’s been quite the journey to get his happy ending.
The new series kicks off tonight and is rumoured to have a star studded line-up including talk show queen Trisha Goddard, singer Chesney Hawkes and EastEnders legend Patsy Palmer. With his up-coming big day to pay for, actor Jack has jumped at the chance to join the ITV reality show.
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Jack’s romantic history hasn’t exactly been straightforward, much like his character David Platt. In 2010, he allegedly had a third child with the woman he had an affair with, Sammy Milewsk, and was unfaithful to his former partner, Lauren Shippey, with whom he has two children.
Prior to their current relationship, Jack and Lauren had welcomed twins Nyla and Reuben together and have been together since 2002. In 2010, Jack and Sammy had a difficult relationship when they became involved in a scandal involving an affair with sales executive Sammy, which led to a pregnancy.
Jack was unfaithful to his fiancee Lauren Shippy (Image: splashnews)
Although the couple split at the time, they eventually reconnected, and Jack even made an offer to Lauren with a £3, 000 ring while publicly apologizing for any “hurt” his family may have caused. He said at the time, “On Sunday, articles about errors I’ve made in my private life were printed.
I have had privileges that far exceed my own expectations as a result of my successful career with Coronation Street. My family, ITV Granada, and specifically my girlfriend Lauren and daughter Nyla, are the main contributors to my success.
“I want to express my regret to my family for all the pain and suffering I’ve caused them, to ITV Granada for letting them down, and especially to Lauren and Nyla, my most significant loved ones. I’m so sorry for my abuse of my position as an employee, partner, and father, but I now need to concentrate on what is really important, my family, and my career.
Jack P Shepherd stars in Coronation Street(Image: Getty Images)
However, the reality was different when the two officially parted ways in 2017 and made a pledge to remain friendly for the sake of their children. After DNA testing revealed his paternity, the actor from Coronation Street also has a son named Greyson with Sammy, and despite being rumored to not have met him, he continues to fulfill his financial obligations. Sadly, the child has a genetic condition that is incurable.
According to a source, Hanni and Jack are planning a summer wedding and are “pulling out all the stops” to prepare for the upcoming nuptials. They want their day to truly reflect their love, according to them, as they celebrate with friends and family. The wedding was flawless, and Hanni is known for being very fashionable.
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They made fun of Jack, who was previously claimed to make around £250, 000 from the ITV soap, because of the fee attached to the reality TV show. Jack makes good money, but it’s no secret that everyone enjoys the CBB money, especially if they’re organizing a big event.
Harry once recalled a heartbreaking memory involving him in one of Princes William and Harry’s former bodyguards, who were with the brothers when they learned of the late mother Princess Diana’s passing.
Graham Craker, a former protection officer of William and Harry(Image: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
Prince Harry once revealed a heartbreaking memory of his former bodyguard who has sadly died. It has emerged that Graham Craker, a protection officer of both Harry and his older brother Prince William when the were youngsters, has passed away aged 77.
During the funeral of their mother Princess Diana, he walked with them behind their mum’s hearse as it was transported from St James’s Palace to Westminster Abbey, where her funeral was held. He was also at Balmoral with the two young princes in late August of 1997 when they were told the news that their mum had been killed following a car crash in Paris.
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Mr Craker in the hearse carrying Princess Diana’s coffin on the day of her funeral(Image: Getty)
Mr. Craker, who served 15 years as a royal protection officer before retiring in 2001, was a clear blessing to both brothers, who are now embroiled in a bitter conflict, receiving an invitation to William and Kate’s wedding in 2011.
And Harry also revealed a heartbreaking memory in his controversial memoir Spare, in addition to expressing fond memories of his former bodyguard. Mr. Craker sat in front of the hearse the day after Diana’s funeral service at Westminster Abbey, where she was buried.
The thousands of mourners who gathered in grief along the way were also seen brushing flowers from the windscreen. In Spare, Harry recalled that “the bodyguard could get out and clear the flowers off the windscreen.” The driver had to keep pulling over. Graham was the bodyguard. We had a lot of fun with Willy. He was always known as “Crackers.” We believed that to be hysterical.
Graham seen with William and Harry at Alton Towers in 1994(Image: Getty)
In a previous interview, he described being at Balmoral the night Diana died and recalled: “I crept down the stairs to the house phone and dialled the duty office at Buckingham Palace. They said there were reports there’d been an accident and Dodi Fayed had been killed and the Princess had a broken arm.”
He recalled the time he learned Diana had also passed away. He continued, “It was disbelief, really, and obviously a lot of sorrow. You make every effort to handle it, but you can’t stop feeling emotionally charged.
The most heartfelt was, he continued, “perhaps seeing William the next day.” I ran up to William after seeing him walking his dog outside and saying, “I’m very, very sorry to hear your bad news.” Thank you, Wilfredo said sadly. For his benevolent service to her family, the late Queen appointed Mr. Craker to the Royal Victorian Order. He left his position volunteering for various Ware-based charities, including Southern Maltings Creative Centre.
William and Harry at their mother’s funeral in 1997 (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Our friend and colleague, Graham Craker, has tragically passed away, according to friends and colleagues at the charity. Gramah has been with us almost from beginning to end, helping to ensure that everyone has the best of times.
Graham was a father and grandfather to the most significant people in his life, but Graham was also a valued friend and colleague to us. It is remarkable how reliable and respected he was as the only volunteer to have a set of keys to the building because he wanted to make sure everyone else had a clean, well-stocked, and ready bar. This is how much he was known for.
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He will be remembered for his humor, warmth, and the way he always merely wanted to help people, according to his family. Many people will miss our very own James Bond, from a career in the police, to a member of the protection squad, to a major supporter of the Rotary, and ultimately to a crucial volunteer at the Southern Maltings.
His family and everyone who knew him sends our broken hearts. We’ll raise a glass for you this evening and make sure you are remembered behind the bar. RIP Crackers.
In comparison to its two biggest African markets, Nigeria and South Africa, where the royalty payments from Spotify increased to $59 million in last year.
As performers sped a wave of a growing continent-specific interest in music, the audio-streaming giant paid out about $10 billion in royalties worldwide in 2024.
And despite having a small share of its offerings, African artists’ interest has grown, thanks in large part to internationally acclaimed artists like Nigeria’s Burna Boy and South African singer Tyla.
More than double the amount paid in royalties to Nigerian artists in 2023, or 58 billion naira ($38 million) in revenue.
South African performers’ royalties totaled 400 million rand ($21 million), up 54% year over year.
A lot of that came from outside their local markets. Over the past three years, export growth in Nigeria has increased by 49%, while export growth in South Africa has increased by 104%.
According to the Swedish company’s report released on Thursday, at least one South African artist is currently present in at least 250 million user-created playlists, and 220 million of those are South African.
According to Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy, managing director of Spotify for Sub-Saharan Africa, “what we’re seeing is an excellent evolution around more mid-tier or up-and-coming artists making a living.”
Read more about Gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey and other Nigerian acts making the top 100 most popular videos on YouTube globally in Q1 2025.
The number of Nigerian artists making N10 million has, in contrast, doubled from 2022 to the same time last year.
In the first quarter of the year 2025, Nigerian gospel artists Nathaniel Bassey,  , Mercy Chinwo, and Moses Bliss have recorded their names among the most-streamed acts on YouTube Music.
Debut Hub’s data compiled 52.8 million streams, followed by Mercy Chinwo, who came in second with 46.4 million, and Moses Bliss, who received 41.5 million.
While Nathaniel Bassey’s best-performing songs, including “Yahweh Sabaoth,” which features Mercy Chinwo Blessed, have amassed 25 million plays, and “Jesus Iye,” which has earned 32 million plays to date, are among her standout songs.
Rema’s dominance, along with other notable Nigerian artists like Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Ayra Starr, continued in the top 20 most-streamed artists’ charts in Q1 2025.
With his hit “Calm Down,” starring Selena Gomez, which has now reached a groundbreaking 2.5 billion plays, Rema amassed an impressive 223 million streams.
The top 20 most popular Nigerian artists globally on YouTube Music in Q1 2025 are listed below.
Before revealing new footage from his most recent “Mission: Impossible” film, Tom Cruise paid tribute to late “Top Gun” co-star Val Kilmer on Thursday at a CinemaCon event in a moment of silence.
At the start of his eagerly awaited keynote address at the annual industry summit in Las Vegas, Cruise said, “I’d like to honor a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer.”
“I really can’t tell you how much I admired his work, how much I thought of him as a person, and how grateful and honored I was when he joined “Top Gun” and then returned for “Top Gun: Maverick,” said Cruise.
Actor Val Kilmer addresses the “Twixt” press conference at the TIFF Bell Lightbox on September 12, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. The New York Times reported on April 1 that American actor Val Kilmer passed away at the age of 65 after first achieving fame with “Top Gun” and later appearing in films as Batman and Jim Morrison. (Photo by Jason Merritt / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)  
Kilmer, one of the biggest Hollywood stars of the 1990s who rose to fame in the role of Iceman in the first film “Top Gun” in 1986, passed away at the age of 65, his family announced this week.
pneumonia was the cause of death. After being diagnosed in 2014, Kilmer had a battle with throat cancer and made his final appearance in the “Top Gun” 2022 sequel “Maverick” with a raspy voice. He was physically ill and had a raspy voice.
Cruise paused for a moment to reflect on the wonderful times we had while watching Kilmer on the big screen as he led the audience at Caesars Palace casino on Thursday.
Cruise addressed Kilmer, “I wish you well on your next journey.”
He thanked everyone for doing that, adding to the attendees: “Thank you all. He must appreciate it, I am certain.”
Kilmer’s breakout role was in “Top Gun.” He played the cocky, square-jawed, and largely silent fighter pilot in Tom “Iceman” Kazansky’s training, opposite Cruise.
In the long-awaited sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” Kilmer’s real-life health issues were incorporated into the character.
Tom Cruise (L) presents Christopher McQuarrie with the “director of the year” award at the Paramount Pictures presentation at Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 3, 2025. (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP)
The final reckoning, the May 23 release date for “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” was also announced by Cruise on Thursday.
Ethan Hunt, the ageless hero from Cruise’s film, is captured clinging to the wheels of a small biplane as it barrel rolls through the skies and descends a narrow canyon.
The trailer also featured numerous references to famous scenes from earlier in the eight-film blockbuster series, such as Cruise climbing the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai and dangling between lasers.
On April 3, 2025, Channing Tatum, a US actor, performs live at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP)Tom Cruise, a US actor/producer, performs live at CinemaCon 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3, 2025. (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP)
In what Paramount is marketing as supposedly the franchise’s final film, Cruise’s character says, “I need you to trust me one last time.
On April 3, 2025, Glen Powell, Colman Domingo, Tom Cruise, Edgar Wright, Josh Brolin, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins, President and CEO, attend the Paramount Pictures 2025 CinemaCon Footage Presentation at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Greg Doherty/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures/AFP (Photo by Greg Doherty/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)On April 3, 2025, Glen Powell and Tom Cruise take the stage at the Paramount Pictures 2025 CinemaCon Footage Presentation at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Greg Doherty/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures/AFP (Photo by Greg Doherty/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)
