Sky News Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

Rishi Sunak will today (Wednesday, October 4) deliver his first 2023 Conservative Party conference speech since becoming Prime Minister. The speech is expected to attempt to unite the party following reports a general election is imminent.

Rishi Sunak - widely expected to announce the axing of the Manchester leg of HS2 - will criticise decades of politicians making 'the easy decision, not the right one' when he takes to the stage at the Conservative Party Conference in the heart of the city.

Andy Burnham has reacted with fury after reports HS2 trains will come to Manchester - but on 'normal tracks'. Sky News tonight reported that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has decided to drastically alter the northern leg of the high-speed rail project to save money, effectively scrapping the high-speed stretch to Manchester.

Jeremy Hunt has admitted he flew in to Manchester from London ahead of the Conservative Party conference rather than taking the train.

An independent inquiry into the treatment of women and girls in Greater Manchester Police custody has issued an open appeal for others to come forward and share their experiences.

A teen who was stabbed to death on her way to school in London yesterday has been named locally.

Elton John has spoken out against Suella Braverman’s calls to ban LGBTQ+ asylum seekers from coming to the UK.The home secretary faced backlash this week after she said that “simply being gay, or a woman” is not enough of a reason to gain refugee status in the UK.Addressing a US think tank on Tuesday (September 26), she said (via Sky News): “There are vast swathes of the world where it is extremely difficult to be gay, or to be a woman. Where individuals are being persecuted, it is right that we offer sanctuary.“But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection.”Music icon John has now responded to the home secretary and accused her of “legitimising hate and violence”.A post shared by Elton John (@eltonjohn)In a statement released alongside husband David Furnish through their AIDS Foundation, they said: “We are very concerned about the UK Home Secretary’s comments stating how discrimination for being gay or a woman should not be reason enough to qualify for protection under international refugee laws.“Nearly a third of all nations class LGBTQ+ people as criminals and homosexuality is still punishable by death in 11 countries.”It went on: “Dismissing the very real danger LGBTQ+ communities face risks further legitimising hate and violence against them.”The statement concluded that leaders “need to provide more compassion, support and acceptance for those seeking a safer future”.John has shared statements via his foundation in the past to call out homophobia.

Game Of Thrones actor filed a petition in Manhattan last Thursday (September 21), claiming the couple’s two daughters had been “wrongfully retained” in “New York City from their habitual residence of England”.According to the petition, Turner had agreed that Jonas would look after their two daughters while on tour with his band The Jonas Brothers in the US in July, due to her filming commitments on a new series in the UK.Turner, who planned to return to England this month with the children, claimed that Jonas however refused to hand over the children’s passports when she attempted to collect them.Jonas’ representative has since disputed various allegations in the filing, including claims that Turner found out about their divorce “through the media” earlier this month.His representative also stated that Turner was “aware” he was going to file for divorce, where the Florida Court issued an order that “restricts both parents from relocating their children”.

James Corden has opened up about a possible Gavin and Stacey return in a new interview.The 2019 Christmas special of the show left viewers on a cliffhanger as Nessa, played by Ruth Jones, proposed to Corden’s character Smithy. Created by Corden and Jones, Gavin and Stacey aired between 2007 and 2010 for three seasons. The show returned for a Christmas special in 2019.Speaking to Sky News about a possible return, Corden said: “I genuinely don’t know if we’ll ever do another one.

Liam Gallagher has adopted a rescue dog named ‘Buttons’ from a sanctuary in Thailand.The former Oasis member received praise after it was revealed that he contacted the Happy Doggo sanctuary in order to re-home the puppy who had been abandoned in the jungle for “not being cute enough” by its former family.In an interview with Sky News, dog rescuer Niall Harbison shared his shock when he found Gallagher’s name among the applications to adopt Buttons. At first, Harbison believed it may have been a friend pulling a prank or a wind-up of sorts but upon further inspection of the application, it turned out to actually be the ‘Stand By Me’ singer.A post shared by Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher)“The name on the form was Liam Gallagher, but I thought that’s obviously not him,” he said. “Then the next line was occupation, and it was ‘singer’.

Plos One medical journal — gay and bisexual men over 70 were more likely than their straight peers of the same age to have had more than one sexual partner recently.Those men were likely to continue having sex with multiple partners, while straight men and women became less sexually active.Women who have sex with women, and other relationship types, were discounted due to small sample sizes.The study, conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia, King’s College London, and University College London surveyed more than 5,000 adults during the 2022 mpox outbreak, looking at how sexual activity changes with age, in order to develop scientific models for sexually transmitted infections, reports Sky News. Researchers surveyed 5,126 British adults from September to October 2022 — including 3,297 from the general population, 1,036 men who have sex with men recruited from Facebook and Instagram, and 831 people responding to adverts on the gay dating app Grindr.“Before this study, many models about sexually transmitted diseases assumed that everyone over a certain age, say 40 or 65, stopped being sexually active, or at least stopped having multiple partners.

Neighbours star Mischa Barton is considering a permanent move to the UK and is in talks for a starring role in a huge West End show. The former OC star, 37, exclusively told OK! how she has been house hunting in and around the capital and is hoping to make it the next place she can call home. Speaking to us exclusively at the Zara Muse art exhibition in London, she said, “I’m thinking about moving to London permanently and have already been looking at houses.

allegations of rape and sexual assault.The allegations from four women emerged over the weekend in a joint investigation by Channel 4, The Times and The Sunday Times, with the claims spanning a seven-year period between 2006 and 2013. Brand has denied the accusations.The Times now reports that more women have come forward since the release of the report and Channel 4’s Dispatches special on the comedian on Saturday (September 16), with several contacting the paper and The Sunday Times regarding Brand’s alleged behaviour since the early 2000s.

Russell Brand appears to have received a standing ovation at a Wembley gig on Saturday night after he was accused of rape and sexual assault.

The Streets Mike Skinner has opened up about his new film, describing it as a both a “nightmare” to get made and his “obsession.”Skinner has spent ten years working on getting his film, The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light, to screens. A murder-mystery, it’s described as “tripped out neo-noir” and follows the life of a struggling DJ. The film has been created, written, directed, filmed and edited by Skinner, who also stars in the project.Speaking to Sky News at the premiere of the film in London, he opened up about the difficulties of getting the film made, alongside his determination to make sure it reached the big screen.Speaking about what to expect, Skinner told Sky News: “it’s a musical but the songs are the voiceover.” He joked with fans not to expect “jazz hands or dancing around on lampposts,” adding that “it’s a very simple story that started out almost like a film noir type thing, but then got carried away.”Opening up about the project, he added: “Knowing that I’m working on this film and then working on this film has been a nightmare.

Kanye West reportedly wanted to transform his home in Malibu, California into a ‘bomb shelter’.The news comes from a new lawsuit filed by Tony Saxon, who, as Sky News reports, claims he is owed $1million (£800,000) in unpaid wages and loss of earnings after working as a project manager, full-time security and live-in caretaker at West’s house in Malibu.Speaking to NBC – who reviewed and confirmed the contents of the lawsuit – Saxon said of the proposed renovations to the house: “We were going to be gutting all of that out and sort of building him a Bat Cave” to “hide from the Clintons in and the Kardashians in,” adding that he wanted to turn the house into a “bomb shelter from the 1910s”.He added that while he initially thought it to be an “art project”, he realised eventually that “no, he wants to live in here”.Elsewhere, Saxon said that Kanye “wanted no electricity. He only wanted plants. He only wanted candles.

Kanye West is being sued by an ex-employee who alleges he was forced by the rapper to work under dangerous conditions.As Sky News reports, Tony Saxon claims he is owed $1million (£800,000) in unpaid wages and loss of earnings after working as a project manager, full-time security, and live-in caretaker at West’s house in Malibu, California.The lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court alleges that the ‘Donda’ artist unlawfully fired Saxon after he refused to comply with Ye’s “dangerous” demands.Saxon told Sky News that he was instructed by West to remove the electricity supply and windows from the property, claiming Ye “wanted it to be like a bomb shelter”. Quoting the rapper, he said: “‘This is going to be my bunker, my place to go off the grid and hide’.”According to the lawsuit, Saxon was hired by West in September 2021.

Disposable vapes are to be banned over fears they're being targeted at children, it's been reported. Ministers are said to be drawing up plans to ban the sale of single-use vapes in the UK to stop under 18s becoming addicted

An inmate has reportedly been stabbed at the same jail where a prisoner escaped earlier this week. Paramedics were called to HMP Wandsworth in London after a man was injured this afternoon.

Warm, sunny days are often accompanied by sleepless nights. But a sleep expert has suggested an unexpected item he believes will help.

Anyone headed to Spain has been issued an urgent warning if they are travelling to the Canary Islands after 10 earthquakes struck the island in the past 24 hours.

Escaped terror suspect Daniel Khalife 'escaped prison after sneaking out of the kitchen and clinging onto a van', it has been reported. There are unconfirmed claims the 21-year-old hitched onto a vehicle and fled, The Sun reported, citing a 'Prison Service source'.

The Education Secretary was caught on camera voicing her frustrations over coverage surrounding the potentially dangerous concrete in many British schools.

Meghan Markle will not want to return to the UK in the future and face curtseying to the Princess of Wales, a royal biographer has suggested. Andrew Morton, who collaborated with Diana, Princess of Wales on his 1992 book Diana: Her True Story, ruled out a move back from the US for Meghan and the Duke of Sussex.

Two further schools in Bolton are impacted by the crisis over potentially dangerous crumbling concrete, it has emerged.

EXCLUSIVE: The BBC is carrying out a review to establish whether it requires more news channel presenters as five senior female anchors remain in the dark about their future.

The uncle of a 10-year-old girl who was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, has told police in Pakistan she "fell down the stairs and broke her neck".

Demi Lovato and Ariana Grande have parted ways with manager Scooter Braun, according to reports.The music mogul is one of the most successful managers in the world, with clients including Justin Bieber, David Guetta, Black Eyed Peas, Ava Max and Carly Rae Jepsen, per his official website.Braun first rose to fame in 2008 after helping launch the career of a then-12-year-old Bieber, after seeing him performing on YouTube, and has since gone on to represent him for 15 years. In recent years, however, Braun has faced controversy after apparently denying Taylor Swift her masters’ recordings.Now, it has been reported by various US media outlets that the famous music manager has parted ways with two of his big-name clients: Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.The news of Lovato ending her working relationship with Braun comes from Variety, which reported that, although the reasons for the split are unknown, the separation was “amicable”.Lovato first announced her management with Braun in 2019, saying at the time that the partnership was like “dreams came true” for her.“I officially have a NEW MANAGER.

announced back in March that the channel would be coming off air this year after 40 years, to be replaced by a new streaming-only platform called ITVX Kids.Now, it has been confirmed by the network that CITV will leave screens on September 1.“As a consequence of this new streaming approach and responding to the changing ways children and their parents are increasingly accessing content, the CITV broadcast channel will close after the summer holidays on 1st September,” ITV told Sky News.The network’s kids channel first launched in 1983, and hosted shows such as Horrid Henry, Rosie and Jim and Ant and Dec’s SMTV Live.ITVX will provide streaming only content aimed at children between the ages of six and 12.Included in the programming will be a number of new shows including old favourites TeleTubbies, Bob The Builder and more.

EXCLUSIVE: Former CNN journalist Saima Mohsin has won the right to take the news network to an employment tribunal in the UK with her claim of unfair dismissal and discrimination after she was injured on assignment in Israel.

Freddie Mercury exhibition featuring personal possessions of the late Queen frontman have gone on show at an exhibit in London.Back in April, it was revealed that 1,400 items from Mercury’s London home – which had gone untouched for 30 years – would be put up for auction by Sotheby’s this September.The extensive collection of items, including handwritten lyrics, personal Polaroid photos and costumes, have now gone on show in London.“This summer, we invite you to step into Freddie’s Mercury’s personal world in an extended takeover at Sotheby’s London,” the website reads.The Queen frontman, who died in London on November 24, 1991, left his home, Garden Lodge in Kensington, and possessions to close friend Mary Austin, who is now sharing them with the public.Highlights of the ‘Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own’ exhibit include the crown and cloak ensemble Mercury wore on ‘The Magic Tour’ in 1986, his red kimono covered with fans and his Yamaha grand piano on which he composed ‘We Are The Champions’.

X Factor singer Lucy Spraggan has paid a lovely tribute to late TV presenter Caroline Flack. Lucy, 32, has dedicated a song on her new album to the former Love Island host. Lucy appeared on the former ITV programme in 2012, and at the time Caroline was the host of spin-off show, The Xtra Factor.

High street chain Wilko said it has appointed administrators after failing to secure a rescue deal, putting about 12,000 jobs at risk.

Oscars will no longer broadcast on Sky in the U.K., Variety has confirmed. Sky, the U.K.’s largest pay-TV broadcaster, has given up the rights to Hollywood’s biggest awards ceremony. The Comcast-owned company got the rights to the broadcast back from the BBC in 2004.

Jay-Z‘s Made In America festival has been cancelled for 2023 due to “severe circumstances”.The annual festival was due to be held next month (September 2-3) in Philadelphia and headlined by SZA and Lizzo.In their statement announcing the cancellation, festival organisers said the decision was made “due to severe circumstances outside of production control.”They added: “This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.“Made in America has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience. We look forward to returning to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the great city of Philadelphia in 2024.”pic.twitter.com/gt9PqKCINR— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) August 8, 2023It has not been revealed whether the cancellation is related to festival headliner Lizzo’s recent legal troubles.

EXCLUSIVE: UK film fanatics will no longer be able to watch coverage of the Oscars on Sky.