Showbiz Newswrap
Showbiz: From Pete Wicks to Vanessa Williams via Calum Scott
Another newswrap as Joanna Gumley casts her views over recent entertainment news…
Noele Gordon has a grand opening
Something that may have been said before, many years ago – but this week (Friday, April 4th) Noele Gordon House in East Ham was officially opened by Mayor of Newham Rokhsana Fiaz. The complex offers flats to those aged over 55 and has a communal room and terrace as well as an NHS medical centre and is located a short distance from East Ham town centre.
“Today, I officially opened Noele Gordon House—Newham’s first affordable later-living scheme. 75 brand-new, high-quality homes for older residents. This is a major step towards tackling the housing crisis while helping people age well in their community.” – Rokhsana Fiaz OBE
Newham Council note that ‘Noele Gordon House is a prime example of the Council’s Building a Fairer Newham vision; ensuring older residents have beautiful, practical homes while supporting families – with NHS facilities, communal spaces & 24/7 telecare, it sets a new standard for council-led housing.’
For those youngsters who don’t know who Noele was, we have here a handy ATV Icon on the television pioneer and soap star…
From ginger to white spice
Table Manners with Jessie & Lennie Ware is back for its 17th series in a recent episode Geri Halliwell-Horner was the star guest. On how she is now rarely seen in any colour other than white Geri told the podcast;
“I went through a period when I was in my 20s wearing black all the time. But I’ve gone through different theories. I looked at a lot of guys, and they always wear the same thing. Whether it’s Steve Jobs, Facebook guy, you know, they all wear the same thing, like a uniform. I thought, well, actually, how much time do you use getting ready? That was one thing, and everything matches. It keeps things simple.”
Pete Wicks Turns Easter Bunny
Pete Wicks was spotted handing out large chocolate Easter eggs – dressed as a bunny – this week. The TV and podcast personality, known for being the ‘grumpy’ one in his bromance with Sam Thompson, seemingly changed his tune while handing out supersized eggs to surprised passersby. He was giving out the huge eggs in Good Easter, Essex, after research of 2,000 adults revealed Brits are irritated by ‘chocflation’ – where Easter eggs have shrunk in size yet cost more than ever.
“As the research shows, chocolate easter eggs have been shrinking whilst prices have been increasing, so today we wanted to do our bit to give back to the British public. Did I need to be dressed as an Easter bunny to do this? No. But I am very happy to put a smile on people’s faces this Easter, who doesn’t want a free chocolate egg?!”
The study also found 85 per cent were irked by how brands ‘hide’ the size of an egg with their packaging, with 71 per cent feeling shortchanged by its size. Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) estimate eggs are generally smaller than they were only five years ago – and as a result, 24 per cent are frequently checking the weight of their potential purchase.
Sayed Hajamaideen, Head of Brand & Marketing at SMARTY Mobile which is offering 80GB for £10, which is double the data of its standard £10 plan, said: “Year after year, customers are hit with hidden price increases on everyday purchases, from household bills to even Easter eggs. At SMARTY, we believe life shouldn’t come with sneaky charges. That’s why we keep things simple—no unexpected price hikes, just great value.
“And to prove it, we’re giving out Easter eggs the way they should be: generous in size, because the only surprise at Easter should be the extra treats found in your egg.”
Pete Wicks swaps overpriced Easter eggs for SMARTY Mobile’s supersized FREE eggs to crack down on hidden price hikes.
Vanessa Williams on power of Prada production
On Thursday, Vanessa Williams joined Capital XTRA Breakfast with Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie where she said how she didn’t realise how much her role as the lead, Miranda Priestly, in the musical adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada would resonate with people as deeply as it has done.
“It’s been fantastic. The audiences here have been crazy! It’s the best entrance I’ve ever had in my life in any production whatsoever. I don’t want to spoil it, but when you come on, the crowd goes crazy. We’re at the Dominion theatre – over 2200 seats – so it feels like an event. You know, yes, there’s plays, yes there’s musicals, everyone’s proper, and that’s kind of what you’re used to in the theatre. But for The Devil Wears Prada, I’m telling you, when I make my entrance, it’s unbelievable. And I have to thank our director, Jerry Mitchell for making it so dynamic.”
“It’s perfect, and you know, I didn’t realise this at the moment. I knew that I could do it. I knew, when I was offered it, it would be fun, but the impact of having a woman of colour rise from the floor and command the respect and just the power, I didn’t realise how much that would resonate with audiences, and that’s the feedback that I get. And I don’t everyone knows the movie, and people that don’t know the movie are entertained by the story, but to see the representation up there, it actually deepens the power of Miranda Priestly, running this empire, and the representation in the cast is also incredible across all boards. And I’m talking racially, internationally. We’ve got black, Asian, Indian, and it’s great to see real life reflected up there on stage.”
Ed wants music education
Aboard an open-top bus travelling the streets of central London, musician Ed Sheeran sat down with ITV News’ Rishi Davda ahead of his latest album release. During their conversation, Sheeran reflected on several topics, including the music stars of the future needing support.
“I love education, one of my favourite things about being ‘well known’ is being able to go into schools and chat to kids about how I felt at that age and how it’s all about confidence and trying things and not being afraid to fail and learning from your experiences.
“Music education worldwide gets pushed to the side and it’s not seen as an important thing. It’s actually a really important thing to give kids meaning and a reason if they’re not good at subjects like maths and English. It made me feel like I was good at something and now it’s my job.
“I wanted to have a foundation that supported kids in that. Music education in the UK is in a pretty dire place so being able to speak up – and a lot of people feel how I feel – it’s good to keep pressure on Government.”
While they’re at it schools maybe need to introduce social learning, cookery and cleaning.
Calum Scott shares
Singer and songwriter Calum Scott has spoken about his personal struggles. Speaking to the The Life of Bryony Podcast he opened up about his struggle with fancying men.
“I think for me, I had a big journey with my sexuality. I think because I used to be in a group full of boys, and we used to skateboard and BMX, and it was quite, I wouldn’t say masculine, but there was a lot of testosterone in the room. And so I used to hang out with those boys, and then it was just when they started to get girlfriends. I was just like, this is a bit like, they’re taking the attention away from us being able to skateboard and stuff. So I just wasn’t interested. But I didn’t know that that was me not being interested on that kind of a level. And then the more I thought about it the more I just sort of got a little bit in my own head about it.
“I was like, why don’t I like girls that way? And then I told them that, and then they just all stopped talking to me. So it was rough. Your friends are your everything… they’re your entire world. So it was tough. So then I ended up with a lot of internalised homophobia… went back in the closet, and got a girlfriend.”
“I had to kind of tell her (his girlfriend about his sexuality), and she was devastated. She felt like I was lying to her. And then it’s just another wave of like, I’m hurting other people again by trying to be myself. I went through life like that. I mean, all my 20s and stuff was the same. You’d go out and if a girl came onto me or whatever, then I always felt awful, because I’d have to, like, either play along with it and pretend, or I’d have to sort of shove it off, and either way, I felt bad. I wanted to truly, sort of experience what it’s like to be gay, but never felt like I could, and felt judged. So I didn’t really come to terms with my sexuality, really, until I started writing music.”
The views expressed are of Joanna Gumley and not ATV Today. Penelope Teeth, Judi Dentures and Joanna Gumley are ATV’s exclusive showbiz drag queens with bite.
