BBC License Fee “Impossible” To Sustain, Says New UK Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan

If you’re not terminally online, on Twitter, or part of The Cut Industrial Culture Complex, you may not have heard about the current “Nepo Baby” discourse online. The shortest version to not insult those who find it pervasive and obvious, is the New York Mag wrote a “The Year of the Nepo Baby” “exposé” (infographic basically with some quizzes and articles) detailing those famous celebrities that are the children of other well-known celebrities.

Good afternoon Insiders and a happy holiday to you all, Max Goldbart here seeing out the year. We’re inching slowly towards the holiday and have just got a quick summary of the week’s headlines and some Essentials for you this week. We’ll be taking a well-earned (we hope!) break next week but back all systems go on Friday January 6. Until then, our heartfelt thanks go out to all you Insider readers. We are nothing without you. Merry Xmas, Happy Chanukah and a Happy New Year.

Former Glee stars and longtime friends Lea Michele and Darren Criss have reunited once again for a special Christmas edition of Apple TV+’s Carpool Karaoke: The Series.

EXCLUSIVE: A British lawmaker and member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China has urged the BBC to rethink its commercial decision to produce ads for organs of Chinese state media.

Michelle McManus has taken her fans on a trip down memory lane 19 years to the day since she won Pop Idol.

A match made in reality TV heaven? Gabby Windey teased whether she wants a romantic future with Vinny Guadagnino after sparking speculation with flirty messages.

For over a decade, there’s been an exhausting attempt to remake John Carpenter‘s 1981 dystopian flick “Escape From New York,” which had Kurt Russell flexing his action chops for the first time. However, the project has seen its fair share of developmental hiccups over the years, with it now attached to 20th Century Studios instead of New Line Cinema.

The Scottish Government’s tax decisions will continue to follow its “progressive” model that those with the broadest shoulders should pay more, a minister has said.

December is here, and some holly jolly cheer along with some spooks and scares will come to Amazon Prime Video in the form of newly added shows and movies. Prime Video Original Christmas rom-coms on the way include “Something From Tiffany’s”  — out Dec.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC’s decision to include two transgender activists on a list celebrating successful women has proved divisive among journalists at the UK broadcaster.

Former Fox Television Chair and CEO Gary Newman has joined the BBC Commercial Board along with UK TV vet Claire Hungate, while Damon Buffini has been upped to Deputy Chair of the BBC Board.

Yul Vázquez is teaming up with Forest Whitaker in the upcoming third season of Godfather of Harlem as a new series regular.

The BBC is to close linear channels in the near future as it “consolidates activity under one simple, single brand,” Director General Tim Davie has revealed, as he unveiled a blueprint for a digitally-led Public Service Broadcaster.

’Tis the season! Whether you’re ready to get organized for a holiday party or choosing to eat out, check out these celeb-approved items, restaurants and food faves sure to make this season the most festive (and fun!) of all.

EXCLUSIVE: David Peter Bloom was a Wall Street whiz kid convicted of securities fraud for defrauding investors of almost $15M and earlier this summer was arrested on suspicion of 12 counts of grand theft in LA for a scheme run out of Hollywood hipster dive bar Frolic Room that entangled The Hills star Caroline D’Amore.

It’s no secret that George Lucas struggled to develop 1988’s “Willow.” Lucas hatched his idea for the film before “Star Wars,” but he couldn’t make it until he approached Ron Howard to direct in 1985. Shortly afterward, MGM entered the production process, Bob Dolman came on board to pen the script, and things moved forward.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon have a new studio named Artists Equity, and Affleck has high aspirations for it. How high? Deadline reports that at the New York Times‘ DeadlBook Summit in NYC yesterday, Affleck says he and Damon aim to produce commercial but quality films for streaming that “people remember 20 years later.” So, basically, not the “assembly line process” of Netflix and other streamers.