Dicko’s fury over Australian Idol reboot

Eureka Productions has been on a roll recently, picking up orders for series such as a Magic Mike competition series at HBO Max and an adaptation of 1980s videogame Frogger at Peacock.

BERLIN -- German-Australian author Walter Kaufmann, who survived the Nazi persecution of Jews and later played a prominent role in the literary scene of Communist East Germany, has died at the age of 97.Kaufmann's death was confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday by Dirk Szuszies, a Berlin filmmaker who made a documentary about the author's life.Born Jizchak Schmeidler to a young Polish Jew in Berlin in 1924, he was adopted at the age of three by a wealthy family — the Kaufmanns — from

Cody Simpson, 24, was looking more in shape than ever during his latest swimming practice. The singer and swimmer went shirtless while wearing a tiny green speedo and goggles as he geared up to compete in the Australian National Swimming Championships, which take place this week. He stretched his arms out behind him as he lifted his buff chest while standing in front of the pool at one point and appeared focused and determined to show off his impressive skills.

Neighbours, the long-running and globally successful Australian soap opera, is facing accusations of on-set racism and discrimination. Sharon Johal, who has played Dipi Rebecchi, one of the show's leading characters, since April 2017, has come out publicly decrying what she claims were "direct, indirect and casual racism" on the set of the beloved serial drama.

Sharon Johal has become the latest Neighbours actor to speak out about experiencing alleged racism while working on the iconic Australian soap opera, which is produced by global production powerhouse Fremantle.

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Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefSally Phillips, the British actor known for her role in all three Bridget Jones movies, will head the cast of Australian comedy drama film “How to Please a Woman.”Pitched as a warmhearted look at sexuality and vulnerability at all stages of life, the film casts Phillips as a 50-something woman who has the inspired idea of launching an all-male house-cleaning service.

BERLIN -- The Australian photographer and actress June Newton — also known under her pseudonym Alice Springs — has died at 97, the Helmut Newton Foundation said Saturday in Berlin.Newton, who was also the wife of the late photographer Helmut Newton, died Friday in her home in Monte Carlo.

John Clabburn, a TV director for three decades on such Australian shows as Home And Away, Underbelly, Survivor, LoveChild, The Wiggles and Wonderland, died April 6 at his home in Sydney.

told the Daily Telegraph.Clabburn fell off the ladder he was on, tumbling 10 feet to the ground — and ended up suffering fatal cardiac arrest from the blood loss from his slashed hand.“When I went out to the back garden, he was crawling on the ground on his stomach, said Clabburn’s wife, Melissa. “There was so much blood, he was clutching his torso.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefLeading producers Tony Ayres and Belinda Chayko have assembled an extraordinary Australian cast for Fires, a drama series that presents personal tales from the front lines of the country’s recent catastrophic fire season.The series, which is now shooting in Victoria state is produced by NBCUniversal -backed Tony Ayres Productions and Matchbox Pictures. Australian Broadcasting Corporation is on board as local broadcaster.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefRising Sun Pictures, one of the world’s best-known visual effects companies, has been acquired by FuseFX, a U.S. effects company owned by EagleTree Capital.

EXCLUSIVE: Australian drama series Fires has put together its cast.

EXCLUSIVE: Australian drama series Fires has put together its cast.

Related: Neighbours actor allegedly removed from set after complaints of racism by Indigenous actor Shareena Clanton Once considered a bohemian enclave, Byron Bay is now believed to have more social influencers per capita than any other town in Australia. It will be these “hot Instagrammers, living their best lives, being their best selves,” Netflix’s director of Australian and New Zealand content, Que Minh Luu, said in a statement, who will be the subjects in Byron Baes.

Christopher Vourlias Australia’s Goalpost Pictures and South Africa’s Quizzical Pictures are teaming up on the crime series “Detective Cooper” for South African broadcaster M-Net, marking the first TV co-production between the two countries.The series will be adapted from the book “A Beautiful Place to Die,” part of the multi-award-winning Detective Emmanuel Cooper book series by Australian-South African writer Malla Nunn (pictured).

Nicole Kidman and her family have been staying in Australia over the past few months and celebrated Easter Down Under over the weekend.MORE: Nicole Kidman stuns in sheer dress as she teases exciting news The Undoing star made sure that the day was made special for her daughters Sunday and Faith, and took to Instagram to share a glimpse into their day.The Hollywood star posted a picture from inside their New South Wales farmhouse, showing one of her pet cats, Ginger, playing with a colourful

Queen Elizabeth II has made her first public appearance of the year.