Eurovision Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Olly Alexander is set to make an appearance on EastEnders next month.The Years & Years singer is this year’s UK Eurovision Song Contest entrant, and will be visiting Walford as part of his rehearsal process.According to the BBC, Alexander will be heading to the fictional Queen Vic pub after finishing up rehearsals for his Eurovision performance nearby.Alexander has spoken about the opportunity to feature on the UK’s most popular TV soap, saying: “I’m thrilled to be making my first appearance on EastEnders and in the most iconic pub in the UK.”The It’s A Sin star continued: “I’m so happy I got to meet some true screen legends and spend time on set with the brilliant cast and crew.”Alexander shared how he had initially wanted the appearance to be kept secret from his mum: “I wanted to surprise my mum as it’s her favourite show but I guess the cat is out of the bag now, she’s gonna love it!”

Eurovision Song Contest 2024.According to Eurovision World, the favourites to win the competition have been revealed. Coming in first place is Switzerland’s NEMO, who currently has a 25 per cent chance at snagging the crown this year with their song ‘The Code’.Behind Switzerland in second place is Croatia, whose entry Baby Lasagna is predicted to have a 17 per cent chance of winning with his song ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’.

Pet Shop Boys have responded to the recent comparisons of their classic single ‘It’s A Sin’ to Olly Alexander’s Eurovision entry ‘Dizzy’.Alexander released the track last month ahead of the Years & Years singer representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden next month.‘Dizzy’ was co-written by Alexander and electronic producer Danny L Harle (Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek). Upon the track’s release, the former explained that it was “inspired by a lot of music we love from the ’80s like Erasure, Adamski and of course Pet Shop Boys”.Some listeners have pointed out similarities to Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s 1987 hit specifically.

Mae Muller has spoken to NME about leaving her record label to become an independent artist, feeling “at peace” with Eurovision and headlining this week’s Club NME event.The 26-year-old singer-songwriter will take to the stage at London’s Scala on Friday (April 12) for a live headline set. She’ll be joined on the night by Self Esteem and special guest Raven Mandella – both of whom will be hitting the decks to DJ into the early hours.The legendary Club NME series returned last September with Courteeners playing in London before Blossoms delivered a special show in Manchester earlier this year.

Hannah Waddingham is stepping into some royal shoes, taking over a significant role from Kate Middleton. The Sex Education and Ted Lasso actress could hardly contain her excitement after being named the Godmother of Princess Cruise Line's latest ship, Sun Princess, following its maiden voyage in February this year. Following the announcement, the 49 year old actress revealed that the new role holds a special place in her heart due to a touching family connection to the marine industry.

When guests arrived at the four-in-one celebration thrown by Sam Quek for her two children, they might have assumed the jungle theme was a nod to her 2016 stint on I’m a Celebrity. With a backdrop of lush foliage, a zoo-full of model animals and a stunning five tier cake complete with waterfall, the joint Christening and birthday party for three-year-old Molly and Zac, two, had unmistakable notes of the tropics. In fact the decor, created inside a hotel in Merseyside as a scene-setter to a day full of love and laughter, was inspired by the children themselves.

Strictly Come Dancing won't hit screens until the autumn, yet talk has already turned to who could be competing this year.The hit BBC dance competition is busy securing its lineup for its 22nd series and while the official list is still yet to be revealed, many familiar faces are already rumoured to be taking part.The new batch of contestants will be hoping to repeat the success of last year's winners, Coronation Street's Ellie Leach and her professional partner Vito Coppola, who famously scooped the coveted Glitterball trophy after 13 jaw-dropping weeks of impressive dancing. Of course, it isn't just the celebrity contestants that need to be announced either, as the confirmed professional dancers are also waiting to be unveiled.

The Hives have paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of ABBA winning Eurovision while playing at the Brighton Dome.Last night (April 3), the Swedish Rock band took the stage at the Brighton Dome in the UK as part of their ongoing ‘The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons’ tour. Before commencing the third track of the night, frontman Pelle Almqvist took the time to explain why it was an iconic night.“About 50 years and a day ago, ABBA from Sweden won the Eurovision Song Contest in this very room.

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BBC Gladiators fans have all said the same thing as the show crowned its champions on Saturday evening after a thrilling final that saw four competitors face off against the super-fit stars of the show before taking each other on in the Eliminator. After 11 weeks of fierce competition, the finale saw Finlay Anderson and Marie-Louise Nicholson emerge victorious after a tense final showdown under the watchful eye of presenting duo Bradley and Barney Walsh.

Olly Alexander has confirmed that he will not boycott this year’s Eurovision, despite Israel’s inclusion, saying “it wouldn’t bring us any closer to our shared goal”.The UK’s entry in this year’s competition has faced calls to withdraw in solidarity with Palestine, but it appears that will not be happening.In a personal statement posted on his social media accounts, he said: “I wholeheartedly support action being taken to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the return of all hostages and the safety and security of all civilians in Palestine and Israel.“I know some people will choose to boycott this year’s Eurovision and I understand and respect their decision.”Queers for Palestine sent me their letter asking me to withdraw from the ESC earlier this week and I responded to them directly, I’m sharing my response here alongside this mornings collective artist statement

Olly Alexander and a number of other performers have released a joint statement about their participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest after calls to boycott the competition in solidarity with Palestine.Yesterday (March 28) hundreds of queer artists, individuals and organisations called on Alexander to pull out of the competition this year, after its refusal to expel Israel.Now, Alexander, alongside Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Norway’s Gåte, Portugal’s Iolanda, San Marino’s Megara, Switzerland’s Nemo, Denmark’s SABA, Lithuania’s Silvester Belt and Finland’s Windows95Man, have signed a letter outlining their response.“We want to begin by acknowledging the privilege of taking part in Eurovision,” it begins.pic.twitter.com/VBNQWwPe46— olly alexander (@alexander_olly) March 29, 2024“In light of the current situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and particularly in Gaza, and in Israel, we do not feel comfortable being silent. It is important to us to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our heartfelt wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire, and the safe return of all hostages.

Olly Alexander, the UK’s Eurovision contestant, to boycott the song contest in solidarity with Palestine.The push was put forward to the singer, actor and Years & Years vocalist via an open letter, which was published by Queers For Palestine.In the letter – which can be read in full here – the signatories urge the musician to boycott the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest due to the inclusion of Israel. “By refusing to expel Israel from the competition, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is providing cultural cover and endorsement for the catastrophic violence that Israel has unleashed on Palestinians,” it reads.“At a time when accountability is so urgently needed, Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision would enable and cover up its war crimes and crimes against humanity,” it continues.

ABBA have announced details of a 50th-anniversary reissue of their iconic album ‘Waterloo’. Find more information below.The reissue of the band’s sophomore album comes to mark 50 years after the now-legendary Swedish band had their international breakthrough in the Eurovision Song Contest.The moment saw the members – Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid “Frida” Lyngstad – change the world of pop music forever, when they entered the stage at The Dome in Brighton on April 6, 1974, dressed in their shiny glam-rock costumes.Set for release on April 5 via Polar Music International, the ‘Waterloo’ anniversary reissue arrives as a half-speed mastered 45RPM 2LP Vinyl, along with a limited edition box set of the three vinyl singles originally released in 1974.

Coronation Street's Amy Robbins, who plays Daisy Midgeley's (Charlotte Jordan) estranged mum Christina Boyd, was so excited to join the cast that she cried when she first heard she got the part. Christina made her first appearance on the show last year and is gearing up to strut down those famous cobbles once more. But what might be a surprise to some is that this isn't Amy's first time starring in a soap.

Louis Walsh has been sticking the boot in to many a famous acquaintance during his time in the Celebrity Big Brother house, but when he branded Jedward "vile" it sparked a furious reaction. Jedward just happened to be watching the ITV reality series from close pal Gemma Collins ' house and the trio hit back with their own anecdotes about Louis. But as viewers might have guessed, there's a long history to the animosity between the Irish stars after their X Factor collaboration turned sour.

Eurovision 2024 song lyrics after initially sparking controversy.The country received widespread criticism with their entry this year formerly titled ‘October Rain’. Sung by 20-year-old Eden Golan, the track appeared to contain references to the victims of Hamas’ October 7 attacks.

Eurovision 2024 following changes to its controversial lyrics.It follows the news that Israel’s public broadcaster KAN submitted a request to change the lyrics for its entry this year. ‘October Rain’, which will be sung by 20-year-old Eden Golan, appears to contain references to the victims of Hamas’ October 7 attacks.

Celebrity Big Brother star AJ Odudu has become one of the UK's most successful TV presenters, best known for hosting ITV's reboot of the iconic reality series. AJ, 36, boasts a very impressive CV that features everything from Strictly Come Dancing to The Big Breakfast and even The Big Interiors Battle. She has racked up lots of TV credits during her time, from Big Brother and Married At First Sight to Eurovision and, so fans might expect her to be a wealthy lady.They'd be correct, because it's said she's worth £1.2m.

Olly Alexander, known for his role in the pop band Years and Years, shot to further fame for his brilliant performance as Ritchie Tozer in the Channel 4 drama It's A Sin. In another exciting turn in his career, Olly confirmed that he will be representing Great Britain at this year's Eurovision Song Contest, showcasing his impressive vocal talents.The talented singer and actor, 33, will appear on The Graham Norton Show on Friday, 1 March to discuss the upcoming career milestone and perform his Eurovision song Dizzy. Graham himself has been a TV commentator for annual Eurovision completion since 2009, so the pair will no doubt have a lot to talk about.

Olly Alexander has shared the new solo track ‘Dizzy’, which will also serve as the UK’s official entry for Eurovision 2024. Check it out below.Released today (March 1), the track was written by Alexander in collaboration with electronic producer Danny L Harle (Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Caroline Polachek), and looks to capture that same intoxicating rush felt when with someone new.Inspired by the club classics of the ‘00s, the song also comes alongside a new music video – capturing a head-spinning representation of the emotions described in the lyrics and blurring the line between fantasy and reality.“I wrote the song last summer with Danny L Harle, we started off with the word ‘Dizzy’ because it just popped into my head and I liked it.

Eurovision Song Contest. Earlier this week, the Israeli broadcaster KAN said they will withdraw from this year’s competition if the event’s organisers attempt to censor their entry. And now, president Isaac Herzog has said that Israel’s voice must be heard from the Eurovision stage.

Eurovision Song Contest if the organisers attempt to censor their entry.Earlier this month, Israel selected the 20-year-old Eden Golan as their entry for this year’s contest. Her song is titled ‘October Rain’, and, as first reported by Israel Hayom (via BBC), the lyrics appear to contain references to the victims of Hamas’ October 7 attacks.The words to the song were leaked to the media earlier this week, and are said to include the line: “They were all good children, each one of them”.

Singer Lulu was overcome with emotion when she talked about her mum and dad dying in a new interview, explaining it was really hard because they died close to each other. Speaking to Gyles Brandreth on his podcast, Rosebud, Lulu, 75, shared how her mum and dad didn't always get along but they still loved each other. She said: "They loved each other because ultimately, they stayed together, which sounds crazy because today it wouldn't happen.

Gene Simmons and Boy George are among the famous faces who have signed an open letter, urging organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest to allow Israel to compete in 2024.Despite not being a part of the continent, Israel made its debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 as the first non-European country granted permission to participate in the event. However, there have been widespread calls for the country to be banned from taking part in the contest this year given the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.Last month, an open letter was issued to the European Broadcast, signed by over 1,000 Swedish artists including Robyn, Fever Ray, and First Aid Kit – calling for Israel to be withdrawn from competing at the finale in Malmö, Sweden on May 11.“The fact that countries that place themselves above humanitarian law are welcomed to participate in international cultural events trivialises violations of international law and makes the suffering of the victims invisible,” it read.

Bambie Thug will be representing Ireland in this year’s edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.Ireland held Eurosong, their annual contest to select their Eurovision entrant, last night (January 26). Bambie Thug triumphed with their song ‘Doomsday Blue’ after winning the most combined votes from a combined vote from viewers, and national and international juries.Speaking to Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty after winning, Bambie Thug said: “I don’t know how I feel – I feel incredible.“My words are gone – as a lyricist you’d think I’d have more to say but I’m speechless – I’m so excited and I promise I’m going to do you so proud.”The self-described “ouija pop” artist was born in Macroom, County Cork, and is now based in London.

After weeks of uncertainty, Netflix favourite Emily in Paris is finally back in production after the romantic comedy series resumed filming, despite one of it’s lead stars suffering a life-threatening health scare. The popular show, which stars Lily Collins began filming the fourth series earlier this week, with Lily revealing the news on social media as she shared snap and post that showed off a snippet of the new script and her trademark smile.

With the fifth season of ITV's The Masked Singer finally upon us, fans of the singing competition have wasted no time in frantically guessing the stars behind the 12 costumes. Characters this year include the likes of Dippy Egg, Eiffel Tower and Chicken Caesar to name a few, but it's the Rat that has everyone talking as fans are convinced they know exactly who it is.

TV presenter Claudia Winkleman has been tipped for a major new role as a potential replacement for Graham Norton on his BBC chat show. The Strictly presenter is said to have completed a successful pilot show last year but there's no talk of a full series yet as she is too busy, according to The Mirror. Claudia is the host of The Traitors and co-presents Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One, she is also working on Channel 4's music show The Piano, and has a Saturday morning radio show on BBC Radio 2.

Eurovision Song Contest.Organisers of the contest faced backlash and boycott calls in December after allowing Israel to participate in 2024 competition – which is due to take place in Malmö, Sweden from May 7-11 – despite the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.Since Hamas forces launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, at least 22,835 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, amounting to one per cent of the territory’s total pre-war population of 2.27million (per CNN).The petition urges a ban over alleged “war crimes” in Gaza, adding that if Israel is not excluded, they want public broadcaster Yle to withdraw Finland’s entry.Yle said it is monitoring the position of the organiser of the contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).One of the petition’s authors, Lukas Korpelainen, told newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet (via BBC) that it was not acceptable for Israel to “take part in the Eurovision Song Contest to polish its image”.Others who have signed the petition include Finnish artists Olavi Uusivirta, Paleface and 2011 contestant Axel Ehnström.Signatories have accused Yle of double standards, noting that the broadcaster was among the first to demand a ban on Russia from the 2022 contest after its invasion of Ukraine, saying “we expect the same active defending of values from Yle now as well”.Russia was banned from competing in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, which was won by Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra.Yle representative Ville Vilén said the situation in Israel and Gaza was “not quite the same”.“As gruesome as it is, it is not a war of inter-state aggression like between Russia and Ukraine,” he told Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat.Yle’s head of communications, Jere Nurminen, told

Graham Norton - the multi talented Irish comedian, actor, author, and television host - has been on our screens for years. Having presented his own chat show, The Graham Norton Show since 2007, plus offering his witty commentary on the Eurovision Song Contest year after year, the 60 year old has also starred in an array of films, TV productions, and presented on the radio.

Eurovision 2023 entry Alessandra has shared her energetic new single ‘Narcissist’. Check it out below.Produced by Carl-Philip Ström and written in collaboration with Clara Hagman (Hanna Ferm, NOTD), the track describes a toxic relationship with lyrics: “Giving me the whole world / Then set it all on fire / ‘Cause you do it for the hell of it / You’re a goddamn narcissist” highlighting the turbulent contradictions between the two lovers.Speaking about the song in a press release, Alessandra said: “I’ve been in toxic relationships before, where I cared too much about what my partner thought of me.

Eurovision Song Contest has teased that “The Caribbean is coming” to this year’s competition.Taking to their official Instagram page with 1.3 million followers to announce that the Caribbean – a subregion of North America with over 700 islands – will be taking part in the famous contest for the first time.The post showed a video clip of palm trees and clear beaches. The caption of the post read: “New Year! New News! We’re thrilled to confirm that the Caribbean is coming to the Eurovision Song Contest 2024.

Eurovision Song Contest.Shaul Greenglick was one of three soldiers recently reported dead by the Israel Defense Forces, via The Times Of Israel, following the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.According to Billboard, Greenglick auditioned for Israel’s The Next Star, a singing competition series through which the country’s Eurovision contestant is selected, while on furlough last month.He earned a place in the show’s next round but he reportedly dropped out of the contest in order to return to his military duties.Baruch Dayan HaEmetThis was 26 year old Cpt. (res.) Shaul Greenglick of the Nahal Brigade's 931st Battalion from Raanana who was killed in action in GazaHe was once a contestant on the Israeli singing show called "The Next Star"May his memory be for a blessing pic.twitter.com/GcycIWBCT4— Documenting Israel (@DocumentIsrael) December 26, 2023It comes just days after Yotam Haim, the drummer for Israeli heavy metal band Persephore, was killed by the Israel Defense Forces after being mistaken for a Hamas fighter.Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Israeli military have said 170 of its soldiers have been killed.

Olly Alexander has signed a pro-Palestine letter which calls Israel an “apartheid state” and accuses it of genocide.It was revealed at the weekend that the singer and actor would be representing the UK at Eurovision next year in Malmö, Sweden, the hometown of this year’s winner Loreen.Before he was confirmed as the UK’s Eurovision entrant, Alexander had signed an open letter from LGBTQ+ activist group Voices4London, which called for a ceasefire in Gaza and for Israel to allow aid into the area. The letter also condemned “Zionist propaganda” amid the war with Hamas.The letter says: “We are watching a genocide take place in real time.