Sony Pictures Television International’s Senior VP of Global Unscripted Entertainment, Sarah Edwards, Departs (EXCLUSIVE)

Deji Adeniyi hit it off but outside the villa it seems she's living the lavish life - from posting herself jetting off on holiday to her iconic dance outfits when she is ready to perform.We can't wait to hopefully see Lacey and Deji couple up but meanwhile, here’s everything you need to know about the dancer and showgirl...Lacey is 25 years old.Outside of the Love Island villa, Lacey is actually a showgirl and viewers will know that she performs at the third biggest show in Europe - she casually dropped it during her date with Deji.Sorry but look how incredible her outfit is in the Instagram video below... Obsessed.Now we know, most Islanders go on Love Island for the Instagram followers and work opportunities but Lacey revealed it was actually her friend who persuaded her to go on the show.“I’ve been dancing all over the world since I was 18 when I moved to France, I recently came to one of the ends of my contracts in France and I was like I am really ready to meet someone and my friends were like why haven’t you applied for Love Island before you’re literally perfect for it," she admitted.Lacey is certain she will bring all her confidence, even stating “I might do the splits occasionally to get some attention.”Despite admitting that she cheated on her ex-boyfriend during a date with Deji, Lacey reckons she's a good girlfriend because she has a “heart of gold”.“My love language is acts of service, I like to do things for people vice versa.

Wilson Chapman editorMarisa Garcia and Ben Shimmel have been promoted to agent positions at WME, Variety has learned exclusively.Both Garcia and Shimmel are veterans of the talent agency’s comedy division and will continue to work for the department in their new roles, supporting the agency’s comedy roster, which includes several of the industry’s top talents, such as Amy Schumer, Hasan Minhaj and Jerrod Carmichael, who are all honorees at this year’s prestigious Just for Laugh’s Montreal comedy festival. Other WME clients include Kevin Hart, John Mulaney, Bill Burr and 2022 Variety Comics to Watch honoree Moses Storm.In her new role, Garcia will focus on live touring for the agency’s comedy and digital entertainment roster.

Build A Rocket Boy, the studio founded by former Rockstar North president Leslie Benzies, has hired a number of high profile industry veterans.The new hires are former Codemasters and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe vice president Mick Hocking, former 2K VP of publishing Murray Pannell and former SVP of publishing at NCSoft Randall Price (via VGC).Hocking is now chief development officer, with Pannell taking up SVP of global marketing and Price now chief publishing officer.Regarding the new hires, Benzies said: “Since 2016, Build A Rocket Boy’s team has been quietly growing and today we’re delighted to publicly welcome Mick, Murray and Randall to the studio.“Each of them brings a huge amount of experience, knowledge and passion to Build A Rocket Boy as we continue development on Everywhere, and we’re looking forward to having more to announce from the team later in 2022” (via GamesIndustry.biz).Build A Rocket Boy appears to be stacking up its development talent for its first project, Everywhere, which is set to be a “real-life Ready Player One” multiplayer title.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAlarm Pictures has closed North American rights from Hewes Pictures on “The Protector,” the latest film from Canadian writer-director Lenin M. Sivam, in advance of its July 28 world premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Festival.The U.S.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe scripted and unscripted series based on “The Battersea Poltergeist” from Blumhouse Television and Maniac Productions have been set up at Peacock for development, Variety has learned exclusively.Both projects are based on the BBC Radio 4 docu-drama podcast “The Battersea Poltergeist.” It was first announced as being in the works in May 2021, though no network or streaming service was attached at that time.The shows are meant to be the first installment of a new anthology series called “Blumhouse’s Ghost Story.” “The Battersea Poltergeist” tells the story of strange events that occurred in 1956 in Battersea, South London, when 15-year old Shirley Hitchings first began being terrorized by a powerful force. The events were investigated over a 12-year period, becoming the longest documented poltergeist haunting in history.

Angelique Jackson Nia DaCosta is set to write and direct “Hedda Gabler,” a reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s famous play, for MGM’s Orion Pictures and Plan B.Hot off the box office success of “Candyman” and ahead of her upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe debut with “The Marvels,” DaCosta will present her fresh take on the fabled story. “Hedda Gabler” has seen numerous adaptations on stage and screen, and in several languages, since its 1891 debut, including 1975’s “Hedda,” which earned Glenda Jackson a best actress nomination at the Academy Awards.Produced by Gabrielle Nadig, who also produced DaCosta’s debut feature “Little Woods,” and Plan B, “Hedda Gabler” follows its titular character as she navigates a house she does not want, a marriage she feels trapped in and an ex-lover who has reappeared in her life. The film also marks DaCosta’s latest collaboration with MGM and Plan B.

Elizabeth Banks recalls being moved to tears after hosting her first gameshow of ABC's. Yes, the actress grew up watching the game show as a child, but that's not why she grew emotional. It was watching contestants realize  wildest dreams.The 48-year-old actress, director and producer gave ET's Matt Cohen a behind-the-scenes look at the set of the revival of the 1980s game show, which ran for three seasons on CBS before its cancellation in 1986.

Shari Hanson has been promoted to the role of EVP, Physical Production and Visual Effects at Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Animation.

Legion M and Exhibit A Pictures are partnering on a new documentary directed by Alexandre O. Philippe (Lynch/Oz), in which screen icon William Shatner takes off the countless masks he’s worn throughout his career, to reveal the man behind one of the most recognizable faces in the world.

Lauren Zima and her fiancé, Chris Harrison, have their eyes set on a destination wedding! ET's Deidre Behar spoke with the couple at the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards, and they revealed some details about their upcoming nuptials.«We're thinking about Europe,» Zima told ET, adding that «the top two contenders» for the location are currently Italy and France.When it comes to the size of the wedding, Harrison noted that he and his bride-to-be «would love to keep it more intimate.»«I don’t know if we'll be able to,» Zima admitted, with Harrison agreeing, «Yeah, we'll see.»While there is still lots of planning to be done, the couple, who got engaged back in October 2021 after more than two years of dating, agreed on the three most important parts of their big day: wine, food and friends.The pair took a break from wedding planning to step out for the 2022 Daytime Emmy Awards, which was hosted by ET's Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner. «The win tonight is that Kevin and Nischelle are hosting,» Zima told ET ahead of the ceremony, at which Entertainment Tonight was nominated for Outstanding Entertainment News Program. «I really don’t care if we win or lose. The win is seeing them up there.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPink, Sony Music Publishing Chairman/CEO Jon Platt and the late songwriter/producer Busbee will be honored at the Songwriters of North America’s second annual SONA Warrior Awards, taking place as a hybrid celebration comprised of an in-person gala on July 23 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles and a virtual livestream via mandolin.com on July 24. SONA is one of the only advocacy organizations for songwriters, formed by professional songwriters to advocate for fair pay, safety, equality and a collective voice.The announcement notes that each of the honorees is known for their accomplishments within the industry, the Warrior Awards provide an opportunity to amplify their advocacy.

EXCLUSIVE: Matthew Goldberg has joined the bicoastal production company Nickel City Pictures as Vice President of Film and Television. In the new role, he will report to President Mark Fasano and oversee development of the company’s slate, which is focused on commercial film and television content across all genres.

Peaky Blinders and Cobra producer Joe Donaldson has set an indie, Magic Hour Television, and signed a first-look deal with All3Media International and All3Media-owned drama house New Pictures. Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3 and its international arm, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls to produce scripted TV.

Naman Ramachandran Joe Donaldson, producer of “Peaky Blinders” and “Cobra,” has launched new production company Magic Hour Television and signed a first look deal with All3Media and New Pictures.Donaldson will develop a slate, funded by All3Media and All3Media International, and partner with New Pictures co-founder and CEO Willow Grylls, to produce new scripted television content. He will also serve as executive producer for New Pictures on the upcoming third series ‘Cobra: Rebellion’ for Sky Max, which is due to start filming later this year.Magic Hour is set up to produce human stories about life in Britain and beyond, tapping into U.K.

EXCLUSIVE: Brigitte Muñoz-Liebowitz, executive producer/showrunner of Gordita Chronicles, is extending her overall with Sony Pictures Television, the studio behind the coming-of-age HBO Max comedy series, which premieres today.

Manori Ravindran International EditorLong-awaited animated feature “Lamya’s Poem” has unveiled its first trailer.Alex Kronemer’s Rumi-inspired film about a Syrian refugee girl named Lamya was one of the hot competition titles at the 2021 Annecy Film Festival, and went on to play at festivals in Vancouver, Zurich and Prague.The film is an inspiring and timely tale about a 12-year-old Syrian refugee who flees the violence of her country, and looks to a gifted book of poetry by the famous 13th-century poet, Rumi, as a source of strength. As the perils of her journey mount, the book becomes a magical gateway where she meets Rumi when he was a boy and also a refugee fleeing the violence of his time.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentRising Egyptian star Amir El-Masry (“Limbo”) has been cast as the young Egyptian billionaire Mohamed al-Fayed, the former Harrods owner, in the upcoming fifth season of Netflix’s “The Crown,” Variety can reveal.Netflix confirmed the casting but declined to provide further details.As previously reported by Variety, Salim Daw (“Oslo”) has been cast as the older incarnation of Mohamed al-Fayed, the father of Dodi Fayed, who was romantically linked to Diana, Princess of Wales, when they both died in a car crash in Paris, France on Aug. 31, 1997.Born in Cairo and raised in London, Amir El Masry broke out internationally in 2016 with a small standout role as a hotel chef opposite Tom Hiddleston in Susanne Bier-directed mini-series “The Night Manager.” He more recently garnered critical praise for his role as Syrian asylum-seeker living on a small Scottish island in Ben Sharrock’s drama “Limbo” for which El Masry won a BAFTA Scotland acting award.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor“The Tourist,” starring Jamie Dornan, won best series Tuesday at the Golden Nymphs Awards, handed out at the conclusion of the 61st Monte-Carlo Television Festival.The show, created and written by Harry and Jack Williams, is a British thriller with comedy moments centering on the theme of identity. It was also given the best creation prize and the BetaSeries public prize.Germany’s “Martha Liebermann,” a drama about a German-Jewish woman in Nazi-era Berlin standing up for her values while risking her life, won best TV film, and Thekla Carola Wied, who plays the titular character, won best actress.Ulrich Thomsen, the lead from Nordic crime drama “Trom” won best actor.