News

The race for the Australian Idol crown tightened as John Van Beek and Emma Jones were sent home, leaving just six contestants vying for the title. The eliminations occurred after the judges opted not to save anyone, leaving the decision entirely up to the public vote. Here’s the Lowdown: The Top 8 performed The Beatles’ […]

Australian Idol Top 6 Revealed: Double Elimination Shakes Up Competition!

“Australian Idol” bid farewell to two hopefuls this week, narrowing the field to the Top 8. After a vibrant group performance of Rita Ora’s “Praising You,” the reality of elimination set in. While the Top 10 brought the energy, it was judges Gisella Coletti and Emma Jones who were put straight through to the Top […]

Australian Idol Top 8 Revealed: Two Contestants Say Goodbye!

Australian sprinting sensation Gout Gout is the subject of a 7News Spotlight special, airing Sunday, March 23rd, after Australian Idol on Channel 7 and 7plus. The program features Bruce McAvaney, alongside Olympic legends Cathy Freeman, Matt Shirvington, and Raelene Boyle, as they discuss Gout’s potential to become the world’s fastest man. Here’s the Lowdown: Gout […]

Fastest Teen Alive? Gout Gout’s Olympic Dreams Explored on 7News Spotlight...

Australian Idol is bringing out the big guns this Sunday at 7:00 pm on Seven and 7plus, with a lineup of international music stars selecting songs for the Top 10 contestants. The pressure is on as the Idols fight for a spot in the Top 8. Here’s the Lowdown: Music icons Katy Perry, James Blunt, […]

Australian Idol Top 10 Heats Up: Global Superstars Choose the Songs!

Australian Idol’s “Transformation Week” is underway on Channel 7 and 7plus, featuring both critical performances and dramatic makeovers for the remaining contestants. The singers are competing for a spot in the Top 12. Here’s the Lowdown: Contestants will not only sing but also undergo “superstar makeovers” as they try to secure a place in the […]

Australian Idol Transformation Week Makeovers and Fast Passes: Who Will Make the Top 12?...

Australian Idol has finalized its Top 21 contestants after a week of intense challenges and surprising twists. The young hopefuls now need to level up their singing, style and star power to prove that they belong in the coveted Top 12. Here’s the Lowdown: The contestants faced a chorus challenge, an overnight challenge, and a […]

Australian Idol Top 21 Revealed: Teen Talents and Shock Returns!

Eureka Productions founders Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin have launched a new venture, Eureka Studios, and sealed a new three-year deal with Fremantle. As part of the transition, Culvenor and Franklin will now serve as co-CEOs of Eureka Studios, while Rikkie Proost is set to replace them as CEO of Eureka Prods. (which is owned by Fremantle).

The new Eureka Studios will focus on new IP, including “global unscripted formats, developing original ideas in gaming, sports adjacent content and scripted content to be produced by Fremantle production companies worldwide and to be distributed by Fremantle globally,” the companies said.

Founded in 2016 by Culvenor and Franklin and based in both Los Angeles and Sydney, Eureka Prods. has been prolific in both the U.S. and Australia with original formats like ABC’s “Holey Moley,” Netflix’s “Dating Around,” ABC’s “The Parent Test” and Max’s “Full Bloom.” Other productions have...

Eureka Productions bosses Chris Culvenor and Paul Franklin have created a new company that’s got a deal in place with Fremantle, the production giant that owns their previous biz, Eureka Productions.

Fremantle, which has a majority stake in The Mole maker Eureka Productions, has struck a three-year deal with Culvenor and Franklin’s new creative venture, Eureka Studios. Though both companies will use the Eureka brand, only Eureka Productions sits inside the Fremantle fold as Eureka Studios is not owned by the Rtl-backed producer and distributor.

Rikkie Proost is being promoted from Chief Creative Officer to CEO of Eureka Productions following the move. However, Culvenor and Franklin will “remain actively involved in current productions and closely associated with the Eureka Productions slate”.

Eureka Studios launches with a three-year deal with Fremantle. The company will devise and develop new content that Fremantle and its subsidiary producers, including Eureka Productions,...

The judges slot that Katy Perry left vacant upon her departure from American Idol has been filled with a familiar face. Carrie Underwood, who won the fourth season of the series nearly two decades ago, will join Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as a judge on the upcoming season premiering in 2025.

Underwood taking over for Perry marks the first time a former Idol winner has returned in an official capacity as judge. “She embodies the true spirit of ‘Idol’ as she herself is the definition of the Cinderella story,” Megan Wolflick,...

Meghan Trainor has expressed interest in replacing Katy Perry on American Idol, going to extreme lengths to secure the role. Having watched the show since she was a child, Meghan's love for American Idol makes her a perfect fit as a judge on the show. Meghan's successful stint as an American Idol mentor and her pop star status make her a strong candidate for the role.

Now that American Idol judge Katy Perry has exited the show, Meghan Trainor reveals the lengths that she's gone to in order to take her place on the reality singing competition series. Katy spent seven seasons judging American Idol alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. They were the original judging panel when ABC revived the show in 2018 after its 2016 cancelation by Fox. American Idol season 23 will be the first time that the judges have changed in the ABC era.

"I have emailed three awesome...

Please, please, please let Meghan Trainor replace Katy Perry on American Idol. The singer is currently campaigning to take over the role as the long-time judge exits the show after seven years. During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Trainor told Andy Cohen: “I have begged for this job.”

“I’ve done every interview in the world and said that that is my dream job,” she shared, adding that she has already “emailed three awesome people who work in that world,” noting that they “don’t really...

Meghan Trainor hopes to join the American Idol season 23 judging panel, and fill the void left by Katy Perry's departure after seven seasons. After being a mentor for the American Idol season 22 contestants, Meghan proved that she has what it takes to be a judge on the show. Meghan is the perfect replacement for Katy for many reasons.

American Idol season 22 mentor Meghan Trainor wants to take Katy Perry's place on the American Idol season 23 judging panel alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Katy left American Idol after seven seasons of judging the contestants with Lionel and Luke. This will be the first time that the judging panel has been changed since ABC revived the show in 2018. Meghan mentored the American Idol season 22 Top 12 contestants when they sang Billboard #1 hits. She listened to each of their performances, and then helped them to improve by giving them advice before they...

Jessica Mauboy, star of 2013 Australian breakout hit “The Sapphires,” returns to a leading film role for the first time in over a decade in family feature “Windcatcher.”

Directed by Tanith Glynn-Maloney, from a screenplay by Boyd Quakawoot, the film is branded as a Stan Original and will play on the Australia-only streamer from March 28.

Set in a small country town, “Windcatcher” follows the unlikely friendship between Percy Boy, newcomer Keithy Cobb and the spirited Daisy Hawkins, as they band together to take the local school sports day title from a group of grade five bullies. But as Percy Boy trains with the help of his mates, he then discovers his supernatural ability to see lost souls – a gift passed down from his grandfather. Percy Boy must overcome his fears, prove his resilience and become a force to be reckoned with.

Mauboy, who is an iconic figure in Australian entertainment has...

The Exchange has acquired the world sales rights for romantic comedy “The Islander,” starring Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning musician and actor Harry Connick Jr. The film features two original songs by Connick. The Exchange will introduce the title to buyers at next week’s American Film Market.

“The Islander” is about a down-on-his-luck rockstar, who moves to a remote cliffside house, sight unseen, on an island, only to discover his new home has an unfortunate notoriety. Through a series of charming mishaps, it turns out maybe love can be found right where he left it.

The film is written, directed and produced by Stelana Kliris under her Cyprus-based Meraki Films banner. It is also produced by Jupiter Peak Productions, Steven Shapiro, and Keith Arnold, with the support of the Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Culture, and the Cyprus Film Commission’s incentives scheme.

Alongside Connick, it stars Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney and Tony Demetriou.

Festival

Anurag Kashyap, Sunny Leone, Taapsee Pannu, Rahul Bhat, Ranjan Singh, Anup Singh, Don Palathara, and Sami Khan are among the guest list at the 12th edition of Bmo International Film Festival of South Asia (Iffsa), Toronto (Oct. 12-22).

With a lineup of some 120 films and more than 30 events, Iffsa is among the largest South Asian-themed festivals in the world. Selections include Cannes duo – Kashyap’s “Kennedy,” starring Leone and Bhat, and Kanu Behl’s “Agra,” Laetitia Colombani’s “The Braid” starring Kim Raver (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and Berlin selections “Ghaath” by Chhatrapal Ninawe and “Aatmapamphlet” by Ashish Bende. From Rotterdam, Palathara’s “Family,” starring Vinay Forrt and Devashish Makhija’s “Joram,” headlined by Manoj Bajpayee, feature alongside Jagath Manuwarna’s Sri Lankan film “Whispering Mountains.”

Acclaimed Bangladesh series “Pett Kata Shaw” will feature as will Canadian Bengali-language production “Meghna Konnya” by Fuad Chowdhury, Atul Sabharwal’s Hindi-language “Berlin” and Osman...

Logies Load Up On ‘The Twelve’, ‘Colin From Accounts’

Australia’s annual celebration of TV this weekend named Sam Neill as the country’s most popular actor for his role in courtroom drama series “The Twelve.” The Foxtel and Binge show was the numerical winner on the evening in a tie with Binge’s “Colin From Accounts.” Both shows picked up a trio of awards. Sonia Kruger was named Australia’s most popular TV personality for her roles on “The Voice,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “The Masked Singer.”

2023 Logies Winners List

Gold Logie for most popular personality on Australian TV: Sonia Kruger, “The Voice,” “Dancing with the Star” and “Big Brother,” Seven Network

Bert Newton Award for most popular presenter: Tony Armstrong, “A Dog’s World” with Tony Armstrong, ABC

Silver Logie: Most popular Australian actor: Sam Neill, “The Twelve,” Foxtel & Binge

Silver Logie: Most popular Australian actress: Kitty Flanagan,...

Meghan Trainor’s friend may be dating her brother.

On Sunday, TikToker Chris Olsen shared a post on Instagram from his trip to Australia, and a couple of the photos have sparked dating rumours.

Read More: Kris Jenner Stars As ‘Mother’ In Meghan Trainor’s New Music Video

In the first pic, Olsen is seen hugging and kissing Ryan Trainor, the “All About That Bass” singer’s brother, while strapped up to go bungee jumping off a bridge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by chris (@chrisolsen)

In another photo, the pair are seen kissing while Olsen lies in the hand of a giant ape statue at an Australian zoo.

Meghan is also featuring in a couple of the photos, including one on the set of “Australian Idol”, on which she is serving as a judge this season, and another at a grocery store.

Olsen has shared a...

Meghan Trainor is sharing a pregnancy update.

The “Made You Look” singer, who is four months into her second pregnancy, appears to be soaking in every moment of it before the little one arrives.

Read More: Meghan Trainor Believes Getting Pregnant Helped Her Land Pringles Super Bowl Ad: ‘Babies Bring Good Luck’

On Thursday, Trainor, 29, posted a TikTok of herself doing the viral “Baby Mama” dance, featuring an adorable special guest.

As the musician dances to the upbeat track, her and husband Daryl Sabara’s two-year-old son Riley is seen completely unbothered by his mom’s dance moves and continues sip on his baby smoothie while playing with his toy car.

Read More: Watch Meghan Trainor’s Adorable Toddler Gets A Golden Ticket On ‘Australian Idol’: ‘Easiest Yes All Season’

“Never did this one when I was pregnant with Riley,” Trainor captioned the video, which also features her friend,...

Meghan Trainor is having a baby and starring in a Big Game ad.

On Tuesday, Pringles unveiled their new Super Bowl commercial, featuring people getting their hands stuck in their signature chips container, and the “All About That Bass” singer makes an appearance.

Read More: Watch Meghan Trainor’s Adorable Toddler Gets A Golden Ticket On ‘Australian Idol’: ‘Easiest Yes All Season’

Speaking with People, Trainor shared how she thinks becoming pregnant with her second child led to her spot in the ad.

“I think babies bring good luck. I fully believe that because a couple weeks after I found out I was pregnant, we got a call. [Pringles] asked me to be in their big game commercial, and I was like, ‘Me? Are they sure?’ I was crying,” she said.

Trainor added, “I teared up and called my family. My brothers are big sports guys, so they were like,...

Meghan Trainor’s son is stealing the show.

The “All About That Bass” singer is one of the judges on this season of “Australian Idol” and in a clip from the auditions, her 2-year-old son Riley makes a special appearance.

Read More: Meghan Trainor Is Pregnant With Her Second Child: ‘I’m Crushing It’

Trainor shared the clip on Instagram, writing, “The easiest “yes” all season .”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Meghan Trainor (@meghantrainor)

In the clip, Trainor’s husband Daryl Sabara brings Riley out into the audition room.

“I’m gonna sing the ABCs,” Sabara says on his son’s behalf, helping him shake his arms over his head.

“If he’s gonna sing, I want to play with him,” fellow judge Harry Connick Jr. says, sitting down at a piano and playing a rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” for him.

Read More: Meghan...

Dean Geyer and Jillian Murray are officially husband and wife!

The entertainers — who got engaged last December — exchanged custom vows in front of 75 of their closest family and friends at a boutique venue in Santa Ynez Valley on Thursday, People can exclusively reveal.

“She is the love of my life,” Geyer said before the wedding. “She is gorgeous, strong, hardworking and always the life of the party.”

“Having my husband write me the most beautiful vos to me and then sing to me later in the evening was the highlight of my entire event,”says Murray. Adds Geyer: “I thought...

Matt Okine.

Filming has begun around Sydney on Stan Original The Other Guy, starring and written by Matt Okine..

The 6 x half hour series joins Wolf Creek, No Activity and stand-up series One Night Stan in the Stan Originals stable.

Based on Okine's own experiences (previously explored in his stand-up show) The Other Guy is the story of a successful radio host who finds himself unexpectedly back in the dating pool for the first time in a decade after discovering his long-term girlfriend has been having an affair with his best friend..

Co-written by Becky Lucas (Please Like Me) and Greg Waters (Soul Mates), the series stars Harriet Dyer (No Activity), Valene Kane (Rogue One), Magda Szubanski (Babe), Christiaan van Vuuren (Bondi Hipsters) and Amali Golden (Australian Idol) in addition to Okine..

Kacie Anning (Fragments of Friday), described by Stan's Chief Content Officer Nick Forward as "undoubtedly one of...

Nine Network Perth MD and network programming executive David Mott has been named CEO of ITV Studios (Itvs) Australia, succeeding Anita Jacoby, who departed in August after two years in the job.

Mott will start in November, reporting to Maria Kyriacou, MD of ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Ray Wardrop, a former Gm of the Seven. Network's Perth channel, will succeed Mott on November 2.

ITV.s slate includes I.m A Celebrity. Get Me Out of Here, which has been renewed for 2016, The Chase and Shaun Micallef.s Mad as Hell.

Augustus Dulgaro, who had been acting CEO, has been given the newly created role of COO, ITV Studios Australia. He will continue as executive vice president, distribution for Asia Pacific for ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

Mott was chief programming officer at Network Ten from 1997 until 2012 where he commissioned hits such as Big Brother, Australian Idol and MasterChef. He quit after...

Guy Sebastian will make his acting debut in While It Lasts, a teen drama based on a best-selling novel by American author Abbi Glines.

The Australian Idol winner and former judge on The X-Factor who will represent Australia in the Eurovision Song Contest, Sebastian will play Krit Corbin, lead singer of a small town rock band who has numerous addictions, including women.

The novel is set in the steamy coastal Alabama town of Sea Breeze, where an interconnected group of older teens hook up and break up. The protagonist is Cage York, who looked set for a free ride to college for baseball until a DUI.

His coach orders him to spend the summer baling hay, where he meets uptight, snarky brunette Eva Brooks, whose long-time beau Josh has just been killed along with four other soldiers near Baghdad.

Red Rock Pictures. Gary O.Toole secured the film rights, is...

Leading sales agent Cinema Management Group (Cmg) has announced that "Born To Dance," a fresh take on the hip hop dance genre, began shooting on Monday in Auckland, New Zealand.

The feature is choreographed by eight-time World Hip Hop Championships winner Parris Goebel, a faculty member of Monsters of Hip Hop, and recent star in her own right of "Step Up All In."

U.S. bombshell Kherington Payne plays Sasha, the female lead in the multi-million dollar feature. Kherington was propelled to fame with her top ten placing in the hit Us reality show So You Think You Can Dance, which led to a principal role as Alice in the 2009 remake of feature film "Fame." She was also the lead in E! Networks docu-drama The Dance Scene, and was a principal dancer for Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream tour.

"Born To Dance" is a coming of age tale told through the eyes of ‘Tu’, an ambitious young man from Auckland who dreams of being a professional hip hop dancer. When he is invited to audition for the best crew in the country, and meets their leading lady Sasha, his dreams begin to turn to reality.

Australasian superstar Stan Walker will play the role of Benjy, Tu’s best friend. Walker shot to fame when he won the first season of Australian Idol and has since cemented his stardom with multiple platinum albums, appearing as a judge on The X Factor New Zealand, and a leading role in the 2013 feature film "Mt Zion."

Tammy Davis will direct, following from his award-winning shorts "Ebony Society" and "Sonny, My Older Brother." New discovery Tia Maipi, a member of world championship hip hop crew The Royal Family, will take on his first major acting role playing Tu.

Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post are the post-production partner, while Vendetta Films will distribute in Aus/Nz. Edward Noeltner’s Cinema Management Group begin world sales at the upcoming Afm. Noeltner says:

“We are very excited to be selling this high energy, exotic and incredibly choreographed film to the buyers at Afm. We are confident this will pick up where the Step Up franchise left off, and we see this as the next international music and dance sensation with terrific worldwide box office potential.”

About Cmg

Cmg, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, has firmly established itself as one of the leading international sales companies. Recent successes include the 3D animated feature "Zambezia,"which saw its international box office climb to over Usd $37million. Other properties handled by Cmg which have had #1 openings internationally include "Khumba" and this holiday season’s 3D animated feature "Saving Santa." For more information, visit www.cinemamanagementgroup.com...

Production has begun in Auckland on the dance feature that Beverly Hills-based Cinema Management Group (Cmg) will introduce to world buyers at the Afm.

Eight-time World Hip Hop Championships winner Parris Goebel serves as choreographer on the coming-of-age tale about an aspiring hip hop dancer who is invited to audition for the best crew in the country.

Film newcomer Tia Maipi, a member of world championship hip hop crew The Royal Family, will play the lead.

Kherington Payne from the Us plays female lead Sasha and herself starred in the reality show So You Think You Can Dance and was a principal dancer for Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream tour.

Australian Idol winner Stan Walker will play the role of the lead’s best friend.

Tammy Davis will direct and Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post serves as post-production partner. Vendetta Films will distribute in Australia and New Zealand.

“We are very excited to be selling this high-energy...

We're not going to lie - when we found out that Zoe Birkett was entering the Big Brother house earlier this week, the Digital Spy office got very excited indeed. What a blast from the past - and how much the "little podgy kid from Pop Idol with the dreadlocks" (her words, not ours) has grown up in the last 13 years. But it got us thinking - what happened to the other contestants? We put on our deerstalker, pulled out our magnifying glass and started digging...

Series One

Korben

Korben, whose real name is Chris Niblett, now seems to be going by the hybrid Korben Niblett. He previously worked at Jemma Kidd Make Up School, but according to his LinkedIn page (oh yes), earlier this year he launched his own company, Evolve Beauty. Not so much of the singing anymore, then...

Rik Waller

Well, for one thing, he's not Rik anymore - it's Richard now!

Western Australian actor Cody Fern was named the Australians In Film Heath Ledger Scholarship winner for 2014 at a celebratory dinner in  Los Angeles on Thursday that was hosted by musician, actor and director, Tim Minchin. The 25-year old, best known for his role as Albert in the Australian version of the National Theatre of Great Britain production of War Horse, has secured the $20,000 prize against stiff competition from another 19 young Australian actors, with Australian Idol alum and Home and Away star Axle Whitehead and Charlotte Best named as runners-up. Photos Actors Who Died During Filming Fern

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The Chainsmokers are best known as the duo behind viral sensation “#Selfie,” but with their remix of Guy Sebastian’s infectious “Like A Drum,” Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall show off their considerable remixing prowess. HitFix is excited to exclusively debut the remix below. While not as well known in the U.S. yet, Sebastian is the best-selling solo artist of all time in Australia with seven multi-platinum albums. Sebastian, who appeared on Lupe Fiasco’s “Battle Scars,” will release his first album in the U.S. later this year. He was the first winner of “Australian Idol” in 2003 and then went onto be a judge on Australia’s edition of “The X Factor” from 2010 to 2012. He is the only male artist in Australia to land six No. 1 singles. The Chainsmokers’ remix showcases Sebastian’s soulful voice by keeping the opening of the song close to the original before the...

Siri Garber is expanding her Platform Public Relations with new branch offices in New York City and Sydney, Australia. The Sydney office will be headed up by Platform's VP of talent Jane Negline, who joined the company after spearheading PR for “Australian Idol” and working on many Australian awards shows. Also read: CW's ‘Arrow’ Casts ‘The Pact's’ Caity Lotz as Black Canary (Exclusive) Negline's clients include: Grant Bowler (Syfy's “Defiance”), Kym Johnson (“Dancing With the Stars”), Samantha Harris (“The Insider”), Thea Andrews (“The Insider”), Harry Cook (“Accidents Happen”) and Stephanie Ellis (“The Sleepwalker”). The New York office is being headed up by Barbara Saint-Aime,...

At last October’s Mipcom, Israeli interactive talent show Rising Star, was the hot property, selling local versions around the globe. At the Mip-tv market next month, The Big Picture, a new interactive entrant from Israel, is aiming to be the next big thing. The game show hails from Israeli format company A Cappella, which recently made U.S. and UK deals with eOne for religion-themed drama Reaching For Heaven. Big Picture is created by TV host and mentalist Nimrod Harel, whose first scripted series, The Believer, has been sold to Fox International Channels. A budget of $1M went toward developing and producing an English-language Big Picture pilot hosted by Andrew Günsberg (Australian Idol, Live To Dance), which A Cappella will shop at Mip-tv (see promo below). The trivia-based show asks a contestant to identify photographs projected on a 20-meter-high screen in the studio; the pictures can be of celebrities,...

We didn’t get a chance to look at the first part of the Season Six premiere (you can see it here if you want to catch up), but this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race is looking too good to ignore.

Ru decided to shake things up this year by dividing the premiere into two parts, with seven queens introduced last week (Kelly Mantle was eliminated), and seven more this week. Also of note – No more immunity!

Let’s take a closer look at this week’s Dolls.

Bianca Del Rio

Strengths: Smart, sharp, biting

Weaknesses: Self-Proclaimed Clown. Can she glam it up enough?

Winning Potential: Definitely could be in final three, but can come off as cold and aloof.

Trinity K. Bonet

Strengths: “I’m as close as you’re gonna get to Beyonce”

Weaknesses: “I’m as close as you’re gonna get to Beyonce”

Winning Potential: Looks unseasoned,...

“This program will be broadcast in Hds: High Definition Shade.”

So said hostess with the mostess RuPaul, introducing the seven queens competing on Monday’s season 6 premiere, part one. Yep. You heard that right: Seven queens, part one. In an effort to shake it up like a stiff (no longer Absolut) cocktail, Ru changed the game for this edition of Drag Race. For starters, the premiere will take place over two weeks, with one batch of queens arriving the first week and facing elimination. The process will repeat next week because, as Ru put it, “The only thing better than...

Birthday shoutouts go to Brian Litrell (above), who is 39, Gloria Vanderbilt is 90, Rihanna is 26, Anthony Head is 60, Cindy Crawford is 48, and Sandy Duncan is 68.

We were thrilled when Nick Zano was cast as the male lead on NBC’s One Big Happy, and there’s more cause for celebration as his Happy Endings co-star Elisha Cuthbert has snagged the female lead. The show “centers on two platonic friends since childhood — a lesbian, Lizzy (Cuthbert), and her straight male best friend, Luke (Zano) — who have been living together and trying to have a baby via artificial insemination for some time. They finally get pregnant — just as Luke meets and impulsively marries the love of his life.”

Anderson Cooper Decides To Keep Recent Gay Conversion Therapy Private. It’ll never last, “Marie.”

Marriage Equality Is Destroying Traditional Marriage, and Why That’s a Good Thing (An Open Letter)

Tptb at Looking talk...

Squashing recent rumors Down Under, local Network Ten has confirmed that it won’t be bringing back Australian Idol. Once as popular in Australia as the U.S. version, Australian Idol launched the careers of several of the country’s current strong-selling pop artists, such as Guy Sebastian, Shannon Noll, Damien Leith and Jessica Mauboy. And in February, Ten's program chief Beverley McGarvey said in public statements that a reboot of Australian Idol might still be in the cards. Photos: A Day in the Life of 'American Idol' Musical Director Ray Chew But that possibility was ruled out this week by

read more...

Chicago – In other countries and cultures, there are parallel moments going on that are interesting mirrors to U.S. history. In “The Sapphires,” a girl group from Australia entertains the troops in Viet Nam, with many of the same U.S. issues of war, peace and social discord. The film is directed by Wayne Blair and features Jessica Mauboy.

Based on a true story, the film reflects on the practice in Australia of the “stolen generation,” when lighter skinned native Aborigines were stolen from their darker skinned families and assimilated into the white society. This is a thread in “The Sapphires,” as a stolen cousin rejoins the singing group before they go into Viet Nam. The film co-stars Chris O’Dowd (the cop in “Bridesmaids”), who is the manager of the group, and falls in love with one of the singers.

Jessica Mauboy as Julie in ‘The Sapphires’

Photo credit:...

Jessica Mauboy was launched to fame by Australian Idol, but this weekend, she'll make a splash on the big screen in The Sapphires. The movie, which she costars in alongside Bridesmaids and Girls alum Chris O'Dowd, tells the inspiring and harrowing true tale of an Aboriginal girl group in the 1960s who headed overseas to entertain the troops in Vietnam. The movie follows the civil rights movements in both America and Australia with a soundtrack of soul music, and it received a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival last Summer. Jessica told us being a part of the movie inspired her to research her own Aboriginal background - with life-changing results. Check out our interview, and catch The Sapphires in theaters starting today.

They say that anything too stupid to be said should be sung, and we here at NextMovie take maxims like that very seriously. So when it came time to interview Chris O'Dowd and Jessica Mauboy about their upcoming flick "The Sapphires," in which they, respectively, play a band manager and a member of an Aboriginal girl group desperate to make it big in any way possible, we knew that a simple spoken interview was out of the question.

Enter the NextMovie Soundtrack Challenge. Mauboy, a winner of Australian Idol, and O'Dowd, who is willing to bust out in song at any moment despite not winning any singing contests, were more than game to share with us — and sing a few lines from — important songs from their lives.

Be sure to check out the video above to discover the unique, self-composed gem that O'Dowd likes to sing in the shower, as...

After a challenging 2012, the lines have been drawn and the troops are in position for the 2013 radio year. Colin Delaney looks across the country at the old and new faces and the biggest fights on the cards in the battle for the ratings win.

2012 was a tumultuous year for Australia’s radio industry. Marred by several well-publicised incidents, the reputations and standing of talent, management and key brands in the space took a beating, as did the image of the medium as a whole.

But the stage is now set for the battle of 2013 after the ratings season begins on January 20 and those in the industry Encore spoke to are hopeful the coming 12 months will see a turnaround with a number of new additions to the talent lineup and the return of many industry veterans. Um CEO Mat Baxter believes one show in particular will be a major game changer...

All Saints singer Melanie Blatt has been announced as a judge on The X Factor New Zealand.

The 'TwentyFourSeven' star joins fellow UK singer Daniel Bedingfield and will relocate to New Zealand with her daughter for the duration of the competition.

© Matt Crossick/Empics Entertainment

© Pa Images / Marta Ovod/AP

Australian Idol winner Stan Walker and Kiwi singer-songwriter Ruby Frost complete the judging panel for the first season of the TV3 show.

Blatt said: "I can't wait to see what kind of artists and voices we are going to find in New Zealand. I'm sure there is a wealth of untapped talent waiting to be found and nurtured.

"I also cannot wait to discover New Zealand properly. My daughter is a huge Lord of the Rings fan. We are beyond excited about living there for a bit."

Co-executive producer Andrew Szusterman added: "Between them Mel and Daniel have sold over 14 million albums worldwide.

All Saints singer Melanie Blatt has been announced as a judge on The X Factor New Zealand. The 'TwentyFourSeven' star joins fellow UK singer Daniel Bedingfield and will relocate to New Zealand with her daughter for the duration of the competition. Australian Idol winner Stan Walker and Kiwi singer-songwriter Ruby Frost complete the judging panel for the first season of the TV3 show. Blatt said: "I can't wait to see what kind of artists and voices we are going to find in New Zealand. I'm sure there is a wealth of untapped talent waiting to be found and nurtured. "I also cannot wait to discover (more)...

The Ten Network took out full page newspaper ads for its heavily pumped debut of American Idol but the program delivered an average result in the ratings.

It ran 15th for the night with average five city metro audience of 539,000, according to preliminary overnight ratings from OzTAM.

The show ran fourth between 7.30pm and 8.30pm – behind Seven’s tennis, Nine’s The Big Bang Theory and 7.30 on the ABC – but lifted to second in from 8.30pm to 9.30pm to beat Nine’s Person Of Interest and the ABC’s Nigellisima.

But Ten claimed it was happy with the result and has moved it to a 7.30pm and not the scheduled 8.30pm start tonight.

A Ten spokesman said the talent show – featuring Keith Urban as one judge – lifted its target 18-49 audience by 33 per cent compared to the same time last year, and ran fifth for the night in that demographic.

Home and Away's Dan Ewing has wed fiancée Marni Little. As expected, the couple married on Saturday, with the ceremony being held at St Kieran's Catholic Church in Manly Vale. Guests were only informed of the location on the morning of Ewing and Little's wedding day to protect an exclusive magazine deal, reports the Manly Daily. Celebrity attendees included Australian Idol (more)...

“Winners are grinners, Shannon.”

Harness Racing Nsw has launched its first campaign since the outbreak of equine influenza in 2007.

The campaign features former Australian Idol runner-up Shannon Noll, and the line ‘Everything’s better in harness’.

The campaign targets families as well as ‘young party goers’.

The 30 second ad:

Targeting families:

Targeting the party goer:

“The challenge was to develop a creative that had cut through, that was different to any other horse racing ad in market and could appeal to both target markets, especially in regional New South Wales, and I think with Shannon’s huge appeal, we will definitely achieve this” said Harness Racing Nsw marketing director, Dale Walker.

The agency behind the campaign was Hyperbole.

The post Shannon Noll, horses, sexy blonde and whips in ad for Harness Racing Nsw appeared first on mUmBRELLA.

★★★☆☆ Reputedly based on a true story and adapted from the 2005 hit stage play, Wayne Blair's comic drama The Sapphires (2012) sees popular Irish comedian Chris O'Dowd and Australian Idol runner-up Jessica Mauboy combine in this feelgood, yet flawed period effort. Set at the start of 1968, three young, talented aboriginal sisters (plus cousin) are desperately seeking stardom, despite being stuck in the Outback. After a chance encounter with alcoholic piano player Dave (O'Dowd), the girls form 'The Sapphires' and enter a local competition which leads the to them playing for the American armed forces out in Vietnam.

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To take on a role in The Sapphires as one of the performers of the said band, you need to have a steady mix of being able to both act and sing – and director Wayne Blair hit the nail on the head by casting Australian actresses Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens and Miranda Tapsell – and we had the pleasure of speaking to the four ahead of the film’s release this week.

The girls take on the roles of four Aboriginal relatives who form the soul and Motown group The Sapphires, who succeed in the face of adversity, taking part in a life-threatening tour of Vietnam to entertain the troops, alongside their scout turned manager Dave (Chris O’Dowd).

The girls discuss their joy at working alongside O’Dowd, and how much this project means to them all. Mauboy – a star of Australian Idol – tells us of her move into an acting career,...

The Sapphires has debuted a new video clip exclusively through Digital Spy. Chris O'Dowd leads the cast of the Australian comedy-drama, which centres on four young Aboriginal girls who leave home to tour Vietnam during the '60s. In the clip above, O'Dowd's band manager Dave Lovelace invites Gail (Deborah Mailman) to dance the "Lovelace lanky-leg shuffle". Australian Idol's Jessica Mauboy (more)...

Nine Network has announced that it has picked up Australia’s Got Talent after the talent show franchise was dropped by Seven.

Although the show was included in Seven’s highlights reel for 2013, the network has now indicated it does not have a place for it in its schedule. Seven also airs The X Factor, which has been rating far more strongly than the last series of Agt.

Agt, produced by Fremantle Media, was hurt by running in the same period of Nine’s The Voice, which is produced by Shine.

Yesterday’s news that Seven was dropping Agt briefly increased the likelihood that Ten would bring Australian Idol back. Ten has already said it will air American Idol next year, increasing speculation that it was considering a return for Australian Idol if audiences take to the Us version which features Keith Urban among the judges. Urban was previously on The Voice.

It’s a tricky one launching a new TV season. You’ve got to look confident even if you’re in strife. But you shouldn’t sing too loudly if you’re winning.

Last week, what little commentary around Seven’s upfronts that didn’t focus on Celebrity Splash was on their somewhat triumphalist approach.

Fair to say, that wasn’t a criticism that could be levelled at Ten this morning.

The first word I had back from one media buyer who was at the Sydney presentation was “humble”.

As well they might be after the year they’ve just had.

But in terms of 2013, I suspect that the 500 or so people in the room will have left more confident in the network then they were at the start of the day.

Stability is the strategy. Gone are the risks of I will Survive, Everybody Dance Now and being Lara Bingle.

American Idol judge Randy Jackson stopped by HuffPost Live Monday to talk about living with diabetes and to judge the vocal talents of some HuffPost Live hosts.

Randy spoke to Marc Lamont Hill about being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes nine years ago and described the life changes he was forced to make to cope with the disease.

"You gotta make your doctor your homey," Jackson said about the need for diabetics to make regular visits to their doctors for tests and to set goals to manage the disease. He also stressed the need to exercise regularly and reject the fatty foods that he grew up with in the South, namely "cakes and pecan candy."

Jackson writes on the Taking Diabetes to Heart website: "I learned that having type 2 diabetes increases my risk for heart disease, among other long-term complications. This was the push I needed to take my diabetes to heart.