Birmingham Showbiz Latest News and Updates

A judge told a young dad to 'grow up' after stating his 'reckless driving' was some of the worst he had ever seen.

A man from Wigan who smuggled suitcases full of dirty cash on a flight to Dubai has avoided jail.

Princess Diana was a big fan of guinea pigs, too!

on Facebook. “Michael Thomas Pinder died on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 at his home in Northern California, surrounded by his devoted family. Michael’s family would like to share with his trusted friends and caring fans that he passed peacefully.

Mike Pinder, who co-founded the Moody Blues and played keyboards and mellotron and sang on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group’s first nine albums, died Wednesday at his home in Northern California. He was 82 and was the last surviving founding member of the legendary British band.

Gorka Marquez has shared what his daughter 'misses' while he's away as he's set to spend the best part of five weeks away from home. The Strictly Come Dancing star is heading out on tour with a number of co-stars from the BBC One dance contest.

Two men accused of murder allegedly took a taxi from Manchester to Birmingham to visit a lawyer after the killing, a jury heard. Raami Mohamed, 21, and Kevell Blake, 20, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Badri Issa.

HMRC is reportedly setting its sights on "two million" married couples in a fresh tax crackdown, with many unaware of the impending threat, according to tax experts.

Bloc Party have announced an “exclusive” warm-up show to take place ahead of their string of appearances this summer – find all the details below.The band confirmed last December that they’d be playing their debut album ‘Silent Alarm’ in full at a huge outdoor gig in Crystal Palace this July to mark their 20th anniversary.The gig will be Kele Okereke and co’s biggest headline concert to date, with support coming from Friendly Fires, The Hives (UK exclusive performance), The Mysterines and Connie Constance.They have also announced two other live dates for the summer, with the first taking place at The Telegraph Building in Belfast on July 4 before performing at the 3Arena in Dublin the following night (July 5).A post shared by Bloc Party (@thisisblocparty)And now, Bloc Party have shared details of an “intimate” warm-up show ahead of their other appearances. It will take place at Birmingham’s O2 Institute on June 28, with tickets set to go on sale at 10am BST this Friday (April 26).

A neighbourhood has been dubbed the UK's 'strictest estate' as all residents must abide by a 32-page handbook of rules. Anyone who lives in the leafy Calthorpe Estate in Birmingham is issued a list of strict dos and don'ts to follow.

Embrace have announced plans for a UK tour to mark the 20th anniversary of their landmark album ‘Out Of Nothing’.The band will hit the road for 11 dates in November to play the album in full, kicking off in Newcastle on November 14 before wrapping up at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on November 30. The jaunt will also include a stop at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire the night before (November 29).Tickets for the shows, which you can view below, go on sale this Friday (April 26) at 9am BST and can be purchased here.Released in September 2004, ‘Out Of Nothing’ became the band’s biggest selling album of their career to date, debuting at Number One in the UK albums chart before going on to sell over 600,000 copies.The album catapulted the band back to the top of the charts off the back of their Top 10 hit single ‘Gravity’, written by Coldplay‘s Chris Martin, and the band’s follow up hit ‘Ashes’.It came three years after Embrace had been dropped by former record label Hut Recordings.Frontman Danny McNamara said of the album and forthcoming tour: “I really can’t believe it’s been 20 years since we released the album.

In BBC One's newest drama This Town, Levi Brown shines as Dante Williams, a character whose quest for musical inspiration takes him on a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows of the music scene. Unlike his usual reserved self, Dante embarks on an unforgettable afternoon filled with cannabis, alcohol, and even his first sexual encounter, all in the hopes of unlocking the depths of his artistic potential.

Gorka Marquez had a cheeky smile on his face as he issued an apology to his fiancee Gemma Atkinson while live on TV. The Strictly Come Dancing star appeared on Loose Women on Friday (April 19) alongside some of his dancing co-stars.

Alison Hammond has come a long way from being reprimanded by Big Brother after breaking a garden table on the reality show. She was trying to make contact with the outside at the time - and 22 years on, the world has certainly taken notice of her.

A major UK airport is currently closed to aircraft movements due to a suspicious device found on a flight.

If you are heading off somewhere warm and sunny this year, it's worth being wary of your chosen flying outfit - as certain choices could get you banned from boarding.

BBC Countryfile star Adam Henson was left devastated following his wife's cancer diagnosis. Charlie Gilbert was given a crushing blow by medical staff in 2021 following tests.

BBC Antiques Roadshow experts usually leave people delighted after discovering their item is worth an eye-watering amount of cash. However, it's not always the case for everyone.

Joe Lycett has revealed four false stories that he planted in UK media recently.The comedian, who is well-known for media stunts, returned to screens over the weekend for the second series of his Channel 4 show Late Night Lycett.Having previously teased that he had planted a number of news hoaxes, Lycett joked on Friday’s (April 12) show: “I wanted to take up space that [the media] would otherwise use to spread hate, misery and pictures of Amanda Holden.”The star then disclosed the stories in question, many of which were covered across sites including the BBC and Sky News.They were a Birmingham five-a-side footballer having a bruise that resembled Prince Harry, H from Steps getting a statue in his honour in his hometown of Cowbridge, research saying men from Birmingham have the longest penises, and a supposed Banksy mural of The Wizard of Oz‘s Dorothy in Birmingham.Opening up about being part of the hoax, H later told BBC Wales: “I’m great friends with Joe and he had this idea that he wanted to create fun fake news to deflect away from all of the bad fake news – and it worked! And a lot of these stories have gone unnoticed – this one did for a long time.”He added: “I love that Joe has put this on a national platform, when there is so much hatred and we can shine a little light on some joy and something funny.

Sky has urged its millions of customers to act before 11.59pm tonight before its free trial of Apple TV+ expires for certain users.

UK holidaymakers have expressed their frustration over a new £97 rule in Spain, with many stating they 'simply won't go' on holiday there anymore.

Lee Mack, star of ITV's The 1% Club, has announced he will be stepping back from his popular BBC show, Not Going Out.

Death in Paradise star Ralf Little was left feeling utterly "mortified" after his co-stars jokingly labelled him a "liar".The beloved star, who famously played DI Neville Parker in the show, found himself in a bit of a blush-worthy situation involving his Death In Paradise hoodie at St Pancras station on Saturday morning. Recounting the situation to his fans on Instagram, Ralf said: "I went to the gym this morning and I put on this hoodie to keep me warm, it's a Death In Paradise cast and crew hoodie.

Brits are set to bask in a '72 hour' heatwave, according to some forecasters, but not everyone will be feeling the heat as two parts of England are expected to miss out on the sizzling temperatures.

Pet Shop Boys have announced an intimate show at London’s Koko next month – find out all the ticket details and information below.The 80s synth pop legends recently announced the details of their new album ‘Nonetheless’, and shared lead single ‘Loneliness’. The album comes out on April 26, with James Ford acting as producer.The band will celebrate the release of the show with a small show at London’s Koko on May 26.

An uninsured driver who hit a district judge with his car before he died has avoided jail. Lawyer Matthew Mawdsley, 54, a father-of-three who lived in Manchester, had been out for work celebrations when he tried to cross the A38 in Birmingham; a busy carriageway at around 10pm on December 16 2022.

Glastonbury has added more names to its 2024 line-up, as organisers share the bill for this year’s Acoustic Stage.The official 2024 line-up for Glastonbury was shared last month – with Dua Lipa, Coldplay and SZA set to headline the iconic Pyramid Stage this summer, while Shania Twain will perform in the legends slot on the Sunday.Now, following the main announcement, the organisers of the iconic Worthy Farm festival have begun counting down the weeks to this year’s instalment by beginning to announce the artists playing at individual stages around the site.Announced today (April 12), the announcement of those playing at individual stages has kicked off with the Acoustic Stage – and several new artists being confirmed as performing across June 28 and June 30.The Friday slot (June 28) will see performances led by Scouting For Girls, as well as Tanita Tikaram, Deverish, Stornoway, Josh Rous, Angie McMahon, John Smith, The Burma and more. It will also feature sets from Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ cover band, Red Hot Chilli Pipers.Saturday’s line-up at the Acoustic Stage includes Birmingham rock group Ocean Colour Scene, as well as Ralph McTell, The Manfields (featuring Paul Jones and Mike d’Abo), Albert Lee and more.

The DVLA has updated its list of banned number plates in the UK in light of the new '74 registrations, with the aim of protecting the public from taking offence. According to a Freedom of Information request, this fresh list of banned number plates has a focus on violence and sexual innuendo, with S74 BBR (stabber), *S74 BBY (stabby) and AT74 CKU (attack you), all banned from the road.

Strictly Come Dancing fans have been left thrilled as some of the show's stars were seen reuniting - some for the first time since the UK tour earlier this year and others since the 2023 series wrapped back in December.

Race Across the World is back on BBC One, and among the five teams of two are Londoner Eugenie and her daughter Isabel.The contestants will be pushed to their physical and emotional limits as they leave behind smartphones, internet access and bank cards to cross six seas and eight borders from northernmost Japan.The first team to reach the final destination bags a £20,000 cash prize. Eugenie, 60, hails from Barking and is a teacher, while her daughter Isabel, 25, from Birmingham, is a trainee clinical scientist.They hope that the experience will bring them closer together, despite admitting that their relationship can be fiery at times.

With thousands of people set to jet off on holiday with airlines like EasyJet, Jet2 and Ryanair, it is important to have the right cabin bag to avoid any unwanted fees at the gate before you fly. It can be difficult to find hand luggage that makes full use of the strict allowances, while fitting in as much as possible without breaking the rules.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Federation Studios has acquired distribution rights to “The Morning After,” an eight-part comedy series headlined by up-and-coming British actor Amara Okereke (“In the Lost Lands”). It filmed on location in Cape Town in South Africa. The show is produced by Paris-based company Paradoxal and Cape Town-based outfit Both Worlds, which previously partnered on “Recipes for Love and Murder.” The series is co-produced by SWR, ARD FabFiction and Prime Video Africa.

UK Tourists heading to Lanzarote have been issued with a holiday warning with the island said to be "on the verge of collapse".

From appearing on Bargain Hunt to Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip, jewellery Expert Izzie Balmer is certainly a professional in her field. And while she may have become a household name since taking her skills to the small screen, the 34 year old certainly didn't plan for this career. Vintage and collectable items weren't always on Izzie's radar, with the presenter once sharing how she hoped for a future in music.

TV personality Vicky Pattison was "turned away at the door" while trying to watch Pete Wicks and Sam Thompson's live tour.The former Geordie Shore star documented her ordeal on Instagram with her followers on Friday night, April 5. The 36-year-old beauty posted a selfie on her story, commenting: "Only reason I'd be out on a Friday night with a half marathon ahead of me...and that's to see the Staying Relevant podcast tour." However just moments later she updated fans, saying she and fiancé Ercan Ramadan had not been allowed into London's O2 Apollo venue.

Every spring and summer, people from the UK flock to Spain in search of sunshine and a break from the typical miserable weather we often experience here.