Showbiz Newswrap
Showbiz 5: From Beckham’s bonce to Barbie’s stars
March 9th newswrap of recent showbiz news with Penelope Teeth.
The O2 Academy Brixton will reopen in April the live music venue has confirmed. The establishment has been closed for nearly a year-and-a-half following a deadly crush at the entrance to the building.
Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, were killed when morons without tickets tried to force their way into the venue on the night Nigerian artist Asake was performing in December 2022.
“O2 Academy Brixton will reopen on Friday 19 April with Nirvana UK (tribute to Nirvana) and The Smyths (tribute to The Smiths), followed by Friday 26 April with Definitely Mightbe (tribute to Oasis) and UK Foo Fighters (tribute to Foo Fighters).” – O2 Academy Brixton
The south London venue first opened in 1929 as a theatre and cinema becoming a popular venue for live music in 1983, having spent the previous decade as a nightclub.
The O2 Academy Brixton faced permanent closure after the Metropolitan Police had requested local authorities remove its licence following the lack of crowd management, but following a two-day hearing in September 2023, Lambeth Council’s licensing sub-committee voted to allow the venue to continue operating. O2 Academy has 77 extensive and robust new conditions to meet to keep the doors open.
“It’s with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of our dear friend and much-loved colleague Mr Tony Green.” The official Bullseye social media this week announced, adding, “Tony passed away peacefully today after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Our love, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Tony’s family, who we hold such affection for, to all of Tony friends and those who were lucky enough to work with him.”
Tony joined Bullseye for its second series in 1982 and remained with the show until it ended in 1995. He also returned to the show when it was revived for Sky in 2006. The series based around darts and general knowledge was fronted by comedian Jim Bowen with the revival overseen by Dave Spikey.
Green, a former amateur player, was a darts commentator for the BBC prior to his quiz show fame.
A former Emmerdale regular has questioned why soaps have to focus so much on stunt storylines rather than character led plots.
The Mirror report “Katherine Dow Blyton, who played Harriet Finch on the ITV soap until her character’s shock death in Super Soap Week, has opened up about her experience on the soap and shared her thoughts on the ITV programme which she was in for 10 years. Katherine questioned why the focus must always be on “conflict, murder and affairs” and less on characters as before.”
Speaking to the Soap From The Box podcast she said, “I think the problem is everything seems to be very sensational now, when you watch the old episodes, it was very much character-based. You just think why has everything got to be conflict, murder, affairs?”
She went on to say something ATV Today Soapworld has been noting for over twenty years – the plots are often done just to win awards, or to out-do the last big stunt and there are too many episodes a week:
“You can have a character that’s single or a happily married couple. I don’t know whether soaps are a victim of their own success because there is a limit, when you’re doing six episodes a week, what do you do to keep people interested? It just seems more of a competition between soaps to do the best stunts and the best trauma and tragedies rather than characters.”
According to a new survey, almost half (48 percent) of British men admit they look to celebrities for inspiration when styling their locks. And the research revealed the male stars with the coolest heads of hair, according to men – with David Beckham (16 percent) coming in first place, closely followed by Brad Pitt (11 percent) and Ryan Reynolds (11 percent).
Known for pushing style boundaries, Beckham has sported several ‘dos that have often sparked debate over the years, such as his frosted tips faux hawk haircut in 2003. With shorter sides and a central strip of slightly longer hair styled upward, the style is one of his most enduring and is as popular now as it was 20 years later. Other hairstyles he has worn with confidence include long locks which he often tied back, to nineties style curtains and a quiff.
The research, from leading health and wellness platform, Hims, also found that British men also look to icons such as Idris Elba, Chris Hemsworth, Jason Momoa and Justin Bieber for hairstyle inspiration.
To celebrate the 65th anniversary of Barbie Mattel, the company behind the hit doll, have launched a range of famous dolls including Kylie Minogue and Helen Mirren.
Since the brand’s inception, Barbie has helped girls explore their limitless potential through different roles and narratives – from encouraging self-expression through dress-up to playing out any of her 250+ careers.
Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls:
“Barbie’s story has never been just about her. It’s about the countless young kids she’s inspired and the millions of stories she helped them imagine along the way,” said “For the past 65 years, Barbie has used her global platform to empower girls to dream big, explore their limitless potential, and direct their own narrative to shape their future. As we celebrate this milestone anniversary, we recognize over six decades of stories Barbie has helped write and the doll that continues to give everyone the opportunity to dream – and dream big.”
The Barbie brand is kicking off 65th-anniversary celebrations this March with one-of-a-kind role model dolls made in their likeness in celebration of International Women’s Day. Barbie will recognize women worldwide who embody the brand’s mission to inspire stories to shape the future. The global lineup includes Viola Davis (United States): Critically Revered Artist, Activist, Producer, Philanthropist, and Best-Selling Author – Viola Davis is an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy winning actor. Her production company, JuVee Productions, focuses on giving a voice to the voiceless through impactful narratives defined by inclusion. Davis has partnered with multiple programs to eradicate childhood hunger in the United States.
Shania Twain (Canada): Global Superstar, Celebrated Songwriter, and Style Icon – As one of music and fashion’s most renowned trailblazers breaking down barriers for women in country music, Shania Twain is the top-selling female country pop artist of all time.
Dame Helen Mirren (United Kingdom): Acclaimed Actress and Advocate for Women’s Stories – Helen Mirren is one of the world’s best known and most respected actresses, along with being an advocate for embracing and celebrating self-expression, aging and fashion.
Kylie Minogue (Australia): Artist – As a superstar artist, Kylie Minogue’s glittering career has kept her firmly rooted in the present whilst defining and celebrating much of our collective past. Maira Gomez (Brazil): Content Creator – Hailing from the indigenous community of the Tatuyo ethnic group in Amazonas, Maira Gomez aims to present the culture and traditions of her people to her nearly 7 million followers on social media.
Lila Avilés (Mexico): Director, Producer, and Screenwriter – Lila Avilés is an award-winning film producer, having won more than thirty international festivals and whose movies have a strong reception from international critics. Nicole Fujita (Japan): Model – Nicole Fujita is a model and TV personality whose apparel brand will be opening its first retail store in March.
Enissa Amani (Germany): Comedian – Enissa Amani is a stand-up comedian and political activist using her voice to create and produce viral shows addressing racism issues in Germany.
The views expressed are those of Penelope Teeth, the drag queen with bite, and are not endorsed by ATV Today.
