Fraser T Smith launches Future Producer Academy

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Palestinian-British filmmaker Farah Nabulsi’s upcoming drama “The Teacher,” which is shot and set in Palestine’s Left Bank, has been acquired by top Italian indie distributor Eagle Pictures just as Vincent Maraval’s Goodfellas launches sales on the timely title in Cannes. Goodfellas, formerly known as Wild Bunch, on Thursday will be presenting to buyers the almost completed film that takes its cue from a real prisoners swap that took place in 2011 when Israel freed more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for one soldier who had been kidnapped by Palestinian militants. In “The Teacher” a Palestinian school teacher played by Saleh Bakri (“Costa Brava, Lebanon”) struggles to reconcile his commitment to political resistance with his emotional support for one of his students. There is also a subplot involving his romantic relationship with a British volunteer worker, played by Imogen Poots (“The Father”).

Britney Spears is reportedly working on “an album of duets” following the success of her single Hold Me Closer with Sir Elton John. It is believed the Toxic hitmaker, 41, is lining up collaborations with the likes of Dua Lipa, Ariana Grande and Sam Smith, who have all publicly said they’re fans of the pop superstar. The Gimme More songstress hasn’t released an album since 2016 – but The Sun has reported that while she has no plans to promote new music, a duets album is an opportunity for her to “connect” with her fans.

Spotify has launched its AI DJ across the UK and Ireland this week, which recognises your listening habits and suggests new songs for you using artificial intelligence.The concept was first announced by Spotify back in February, when it unveiled its DJ feature, and described it as a “personalised AI guide that knows you and your music taste so well that it can choose what to play for you”.Now, in an update shared yesterday (May 16), developers at the streaming platform have confirmed more details on the AI DJ feature and confirmed that it has been launched in the UK and Ireland.According to a blog update, the feature is all about “connection and discovery”, and runs through a combination of Spotify’s personalisation technology and OpenAI technology in the hands of its onboard music experts. It also features a dynamic voice for the host/DJ, also created using artificial intelligence.The blog also describes how users will be served songs and context geared towards their individual preferences.

EXCLUSIVE: Banijay has taken another leap into the premium docs space with the launch of DSP Films, an offshoot of long-running UK unscripted indie DSP. The super-indie has poached Netflix’s Missing: Dead or Alive EP Graeme McAulay to run DSP Films and he will leave his current role at UK doc indie Blast Films next month.

Sarah Ferguson is following in the footsteps of Meghan Markle by launching a podcast “about the highs and lows of everyday life”. The Duchess of York, known as Fergie, confirmed she was teaming up with long-time friend Sarah Jane Thomson, the entrepreneur and founder of First News, for the weekly show. The 63 year old Royal announced on her Instagram page on Tuesday morning that the first episode of Tea Talks with the Duchess and Sarah would be released this week.

WhatsApp has unveiled a new feature that will allow users to hide their "most intimate conversations" from prying eyes, Meta has said.

patten, the London-based producer and artist born Damien Roach, has used generative AI in his practice for years, but in late 2022 he came across something new. Riffusion is a website that uses Stable Diffusion, a neural network model that traditionally generates images from text prompts by trawling the internet for source material.

The Prime Minister “ought to” give up their involvement with the hiring of the BBC Chairman in the future following the Richard Sharp scandal, according to former Director General Tony Hall.

Fashion fans have been rushing to snap up an £84 House of Fraser wedding guest dress that is almost identical to Lady Louise Windsor's viral coronation dress.

The Cure’s Robert Smith has shared a cartoon on social media, poking fun at the Coronation of King Charles III.Created by artist First Dog On The Moon, the cartoon depicts “royal things” preparing for the Coronation, which takes place today (May 6). It also includes a parody pledge that features the line: ​​“All hail the nature arbitrary, of privilege that’s hereditary.”“The huge cost of this ceremony could buy each British child a pony, yet distracting profligacy must calm the masses, lest we [unleash] the fury of the poor,” it continues.

Coleen, 37, shared a selfie with Colette on Instagram as they posed in sunglasses outside the Duke of York's theatre. The mum-of-four admitted it was the second time she had been to the venue in a week.

Sheridan Smith has been announced as the star of a new TV adaptation of bestselling Lucy Clarke thriller The Castaways.The book, first published in 2020, was a hit with readers and made its way onto the Sunday Times bestsellers list, so a TV series in the works at Paramount Plus is highly-anticipated. Sheridan, known for Mrs Biggs, The C Word and Cilla, will star alongside Showtrial's Celine Buckens as sisters who find a holiday of a lifetime turns into a devastating nightmare.

Hannah Waddingham has some fun with Jason Sudeikis during a Ted Lasso press event at Battersea Power Station last week in London.

EXCLUSIVE: Sheridan Smith and Céline Buckens have been cast as sisters in The Castaways, a Paramount+ drama series based on Lucy Clarke’s novel.

The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has sent out guidance to its members over the strike and said it will bar non-members from joining the Guild in future if they break rank.

Piers Morgan, 58, vowed that he'd "restore Britain" to its "former glorious non-woke self" with the help of a twenty-point plan - and sanctions involving Unholy singer Sam Smith's videos are at the heart of his strategy. The semi-satirical piece, published in his column for The Sun on Thursday, suggests that "all 'preferred personal pronouns'" should be "banned with immediate effect", as they are "pointless, confusing and annoying". The TalkTV star - who is clearly feeling more Uncensored than Unholy - also took a swipe at Sam Smith.

The BBC has been urged to publish a detailed blueprint on how it plans to transition to an internet-only future by an influential UK government committee.

Linda Robson is set to make her triumphant return to the world of acting in an upcoming movie with none other than former EastEnders actor Maisie Smith. Linda, who earlier this month enjoyed a solo vacation, is arguably most well known for her work as a Loose Women panellist alongside the likes of Stacey Solomon, Christine Lampard, Charlene White and Ruth Langsford.

TV personality Gemma Collins looks chic as she supported fried DJ Fat Tony at an art exhibition on Tuesday. Gemma, 42, stylishly wore an ombre blue and pink silk trouser suit paired with a silk neck scarf and blue Chanel handbag.

Sam Smith has revealed that their concert in Birmingham has been rescheduled to May 27.The ‘Unholy’ singer took to Instagram to announce the news, writing on Monday (April 24) that the Birmingham concert – originally scheduled to take place today (April 25) – is being pushed to May 27. The statement was also shared by the Resorts World Arena and can be seen in full below.Sam Smith’s show tomorrow at Resorts World Arena has sadly had to be rescheduled.We advise customers to direct further enquiries to their original point of purchase.