Bill and Melinda Gates announced their plans to divorce this week after 27 years of marriage. In a tweet, the couple said: "After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage." The billionaire couple met in the 1980s when Melinda was hired at Microsoft. In court documents, Melinda called their marriage "irretrievably broken.”
It has since been revealed that the split may not have been as amicable as it first seemed. TMZ sources claimed Melinda fled to a private Caribbean Island with their three children in March, costing $132,000 per night, to escape media attention around the announcement, which was supposed to be made public at the time. They also said the children were “furious” with Bill over the split, so didn’t invite him on their last-minute getaway.
Gary Barlow lands new BBC series I’m With the Band
Take That star Gary Barlow has landed a new BBC show, I’m With the Band, with a star-studded cast. His 'Crooner Sessions' celeb singalongs became a huge hit during lockdown, with Barlow joined by superstars such as Elton John and Sting. His new show will follow the same format "with a bit more sparkle.”
His star-studded in-house band on the show will include Jamie Cullum, James Bay and McFly’s Tom Fletcher. Guy Chambers, who wrote many of Robbie Williams’ hit songs, will be the musical director on the show. There will also be a few guest stars appearing, including Craig David and Anne-Marie. One insider called it “a huge celebration of some of the music greats.”
Lord Sugar confirms The Apprentice will be delayed yet again
Lord Alan Sugar’s hit reality show The Apprentice will not be returning this year but hopes to come back to screens in 2022. The 16th series was planned to air in 2020, but the pandemic has caused it to be delayed until next year, despite previous claims. In March, Lord Sugar claimed it would be "back on air this year," but unfortunately, this won't be the case.
Lord Sugar said: “I think you’ll see it in the early part of next year, in fact that’s the plan. If things go well and there’s no outbreaks or third waves, we’re planning to start recording later this year and it should be just after Christmas that they’ll start it again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFVoSEVs61U
Dani Dyer to join dad Danny on Eastenders in June
Daughter of famed Eastenders star Danny Dyer will be joining the soap next month as a taxi driver. Daughter Dani Dyer will debut alongside Danny's character Mick Carter on BBC One. Producers said the casting choice was influenced by the pair already being in the same Covid bubble, which reduced the filming restrictions. They have also claimed it will be a small role, and she won’t become a regular on the show.
One insider said: “Soap fans are going to be thrilled to see father and daughter acting opposite each other. Unlike some other celebrities who come on the show, she won’t be playing herself, she will be a cabbie who picks up Mick in the street.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HE6av98nHag&t=55s
Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow episode receives 190 Ofcom complaints
Broadcasting regulator Ofcom has reported 190 viewer complaints about a recent episode of Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow. The complaints reportedly “objected to the ethnicity of the contestants”, because none of the six players were white. The show is a reboot of Michael Barrymore’s 1990s show Strike it Lucky, where three pairs of contestants compete for cash and prizes.
Many on social media voiced their concern about the number of complaints. One wrote: “What sort of country do we live in when people have to criticise an Alan Carr gameshow because there are black people on it?” Others called it “shameful and disgraceful” that there were so many complaints.
Image Credit: Matheus Bertelli at Pexels
