Meet the cast of The Challenge, including some reality TV royalty

Selome Hailu Bruna Papandrea’s production company and Fifth Season, formerly known as Endeavor Content, have acquired the rights to “The Wakes,” Dianne Yarwood’s upcoming debut novel, Variety has learned exclusively. “The Wakes,” which will be published in 2023, is described as heartfelt, funny and uplifting story about two failing marriages, two strangers falling in love, two friends embarking on a catering business — and the funerals that connect them all. This is a book about living. After all, the thing about death is that it makes life important. Hachette will release “The Wakes” in Australia, while Orion Publishing imprint Phoenix Books will publish in the U.K. The book was acquired by Hachette Australia and Orion imprint, Phoenix, in a six-figure two-book deal. Rebecca Saunders, head of fiction at Hachette Australia, struck the deal with Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management, with U.K. and Commonwealth rights, excluding Australia, going to Francesca Main at Phoenix.

Matthew McConaughey is not letting being blackmailed into sex at 15 or being molested by a man at 18 make him "afraid of relationships." McConaughey first detailed the two encounters he had in his memoir, "Greenlights," which was released in October last year. He appeared as a guest on "The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet" on Sunday to share that these negative experiences will not "beat him." "'I'm not going to be afraid of relationships because my first experience was blackmail.That's an aberration. No, no, that's not the way it is," he said on the podcast.

Prince William and Kate Middleton are doing their part to prepare for Queen Elizabeth‘s funeral.

The Daily Mail and said that an anonymous letter was sent to the film’s studio Skydance accusing him of 40 years ago having “touched someone outside their clothes and referring to the female athletes he coached by inappropriate nicknames. Kinder in his interview with The Daily Mail denied any misconduct and further said he was shocked at the news from earlier this week that the film will not move forward. Kinder said he was contacted by investigators hired by Skydance after the letter was received and that he and the other subjects of the film, now all adult women, had informed him there was “nothing there” in terms of the investigations.

Ahead of Queen Elizabeth II‘s funeral, Prince William and Princess Kate traveled to thank the defense staff and service people who have played a royal in honoring the late monarch.

Liz Truss is expected to meet US President Joe Biden for one-to-one talks in private ahead of the Queen's funeral in London next week. The new Prime Minister may also meet other world leaders as they jet in over the weekend for the state funeral on Monday morning.

Josh Duhamel was partying a little too hard at his wedding… actually, before his wedding.The "Transformers" actor was actually in the North Dakota emergency room the morning of his nuptials after injuring his back dancing. In chatting with Vogue Australia, Josh's bride, Audra Mari, said her new husband slipped a disc in his back after "pulling some wild dance moves on the party bus."In recalling the moment, Audra said, "Cue the cortisone shot and let's get married!"Josh and Audra married this month in North Dakota, where they're both from.

Skydance will no longer move forward with a film called “Dallas Sting” meant to star Matthew McConaughey after an investigation into the film’s true story uncovered disturbing allegations, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.The film from director Kari Skogland (Marvel’s “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”) was meant to kick off production in six weeks and had nearly completed casting. “Dallas Sting” is the true story of a high school girls soccer team that in 1984 went to China and managed to beat some of the best women’s teams in the world from China, Australia, Japan and finally Italy in a championship game.

The Great British Bake Off returns to our screens tonight on Channel 4 and fans will be able to see the latest baking hopefuls attempt to impress Paul and Prue without leaving a soggy bottom.

The extended royal family. When Queen Consort Camilla married King Charles III in 2005, Prince William and Prince Harry gained two stepsiblings: Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief For Asian media operators, the death of Queen Elizabeth II occurred in the middle of the night — Buckingham Palace made its announcement at 6.30 p.m. BST on Thursday — which meant some needed to play catch-up. That was achieved quicker by online and TV outlets than print media. In Australia, a Commonwealth country which has also lost its monarch, public radio and TV broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation newsreaders dressed in black. Programming has switched to reflect the Queen’s life and seven decades of reign. News Corp., which operates major print news brands in Australia, said it will publish souvenir issues on Saturday. These will include the Herald Sun, Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser.

A woman who helped come up with the idea to pair a village in Scotland called Dull with a town in the US called Boring says it has made Dull a more exciting place to live. Elizabeth Leighton, 62, was on a cycling holiday in Oregon in 2012 when she came across the town of Boring and an idea was born.

Line of Duty star Keeley Hawes and her husband, Succession's Matthew Macfadyen, will next be seen in an ITV series together. The real-life couple will play opposite each other in three-part drama Stonehouse, retelling the bizarre story of the disgraced Labour minister (Macfadyen), John Stonehouse, who faked his own death in 1974, leaving his wife (Hawes) and children behind. Having been married for 18 years sure adds authenticity to Hawes and Macfadyen's performances, with the Bodyguard star saying it was "a joy" to work with her husband again.

Succession star Matthew Macfadyen, who stole the rug from under the warring Roys by betraying wife Shiv last season, has got the seal of approval for his performance in upcoming drama Stonehouse from his real-life wife and co-star Keeley Hawes.

EXCLUSIVE: Matthew Horrocks has been appointed as manager of Screen Auckland, New Zealand’s largest regional film office.

Manori Ravindran International Editor “Tár” is going to get people talking, but its star Cate Blanchett has made clear that she’s “not interested in agitprop.” The Oscar winner is in Venice for the world premiere of the Todd Field-directed movie, and was in good spirits as she addressed journalists at a Thursday press conference. The Focus Features pic stars Blanchett as fictional Lydia Tár, a globally renowned, gay and sometimes tyrannical conductor of a German orchestra, who finds herself in the crosshairs of a perilous #MeToo scandal. The film is Field’s first movie in 16 years, following the acclaimed “Little Children” (2006) and his breakout “In the Bedroom” (2001).

Married At First Sight Australia bride Ella Ding has announced she's joining the upcoming season of the E4 series Made In Chelsea. Ella was popular with fans of MAFS, which airs on the same channel on which Made In Chelsea is screened, as she was paired on the matchmaking show with Mitchell Eynaud.