OHMYGOSSIP – Yesterday, on December 12th in Saku Arena, Estonia got a new superstar. During the TV show “Eesti otsib superstaari” grand final the two talented singers fought for the first place – Alika Milova from Narva and a Pärnu girl Wanda-Helene Ollep.
The grand finalists performed songs heard during this season as well as a surprise song. Wanda-Helene chose Radiohead’s song “Creep” and Alika Milova Michael Jackson’s “Earth song”. Both performances were powerful and won a great applause from the guest viewers.
In the grand final of “Eesti otsib superstaari” also several artists famous from the previous seasons performed (Birgit Sarrap, Ott Lepland, Liis Lemsalu and Jüri Pootsmann) and of course this season’s finalists: Maribel Vääna, Märten Männiste, Andreas Pall, Diana Maria Toomingas, Ingmar Erik Kiviloo, Tiina Adamson, Marten Põldmets and Merili Käsper. The host of the show was Karl-Erik Taukar.
Based on television viewers’ vote the winner was Alika Milova who is now titled the eighth Estonian superstar and was awarded a contract with Universal Music as well as from TV3 channel and SEB bank 10 000 euros.
OHMYGOSSIP – Justin Bieber has been criticized by his ´Islamic fans´ and ´haters alike´ on social media after appearing on stage wearing a headscarf.
According to a report by Malay Mail, a Malaysian news website, the artist gave a concert in Utah on Monday, in which he went onto the stage dressed in a short-sleeve T-shirt, loose pants and a headscarf.
The garment and the way he wore it drew mixed reactions with some people likening it to the hijab worn by Muslim women, while others claimed it looked more like a babushka, a head covering worn by elderly Russian women, also known as babushkas.
According to news website Middle East 24, Bieber also drew fire from several Muslims on social media who said Bieber’s headscarf look diminished Islamic values.
OHMYGOSSIP – Tesla CEO Elon Musk has sold about $5 billion in shares of his electric carmaker, filings showed late Wednesday, just days after he asked Twitter users about selling his 10% stake. In his first share sale since 2016, Musk’s trust sold nearly 3.6 million shares in Tesla, worth around $4 billion, while he also sold another 934,000 shares for $1.1 billion after exercising options to acquire nearly 2.2 million shares.
The 4.5 million shares equate to about 3% of his total holdings in the electric vehicle manufacturer, which makes up the vast part of his fortune.
Musk on Saturday polled Twitter users about selling 10% of his stake, helping to push down Tesla’s share price after a majority on Twitter said they agreed with the sale.
The stock sank 12% on Tuesday in a multi-day selloff that endangered the company’s position in the $1 trillion club but recovered 4.3% on Wednesday.
The options-related sales were set up in September through a trading plan that allows corporate insiders to establish preplanned transactions on a schedule, the filing said. The sales of the option-related shares are paid for associated taxes. It was not clear how or whether the trading plan related to Musk’s Twitter poll. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
The additional share sales were separate and provided Musk with sizeable cash reserves, given his wealth is largely tied to his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX.
Musk has more than 20 million further stock options that will expire in August of next year.
After the transactions, Musk still owns about 167 million Tesla shares. Musk was Tesla’s largest shareholder as of June, owning about 17% of the company, according to data provider FactSet. He’s the wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes, with a net worth of around $282 billion, most of it in Tesla stock.
OHMYGOSSIP — Brooklyn Beckham says COVID-19 is the reason he is not “married already”. Brooklyn – the eldest child of Victoria Beckham, 47, and David Beckham, 46 – insists the pandemic enforced lockdowns in the UK and US, which meant wedding ceremonies could not take place or only with reduced numbers, are the reason why he and his fiancée, actress Nicola Peltz, are not husband and wife now.
The 22-year-old Superdry model admits the delays have been “difficult”.
Speaking to HELLO! he said: “We’ve been engaged for a year and if COVID wasn’t a thing we’d have liked to have been married already.”
Brooklyn – who has three siblings, brothers 19-year old Romeo and 16-year Cruz and 10-year sister Harper – spent his coronavirus lockdown away from his family, who decamped to their multi-million pound mansion in the Cotswolds, England.
However, he was happy because he was in America with his “best friend” Nicola, 26.
He said: “We have our own little bubble together and it’s just really nice.”
Along with gushing about the ‘Transformers: Age of Extinction’ star, Brooklyn outlined his dream wedding timeframe for him and his bride-to-be.
He said: “You know, I’ve only just started to travel again, I’m travelling a little bit now but hopefully, it’ll be next year.”
One place Brooklyn won’t be travelling to is back to his family for Christmas as he is “excited” to spend the festive period with Nicola and his future in-laws,
He quipped when asked about his Xmas plans: “I think I’m going to be with my fiancee’s family so I’m very excited.”
His mother Victoria has previously ruled out giving her son marriage advice, recalling how her Spice Girls bandmate Geri Horner told her: “When you get a TV, you get a TV manual. But when you have a baby there’s no manual. You just got to figure that s*** out for yourself.’ That’s the truth.”
She reflected on her how “lucky” she had been with her own marriage to former Real Madrid soccer player David.
The pop star turned high end fashion designer mused: “I’ve always been lucky that I’ve got a strong family unit, not just with David and the kids but with my parents and David’s parents. I feel very blessed that I have that. The kids always come first to me and David.”
OHMYGOSSIP — Tara Reid has frozen her eggs so she has the “potential” to have kids in the future.
The 45-year-old actress has insisted she would be open to the idea of having children in later life, and has taken the steps to freeze her eggs just in case she decides to go through with the plan.
However, Tara also said she is “very comfortable” with her life at the moment, and wouldn’t be disappointed if she never had children.
Speaking to internationally syndicated columnist Allison Kugel, she said: “Will I have kids? Let’s see what is in store for me. It’s not a no, and it’s not a yes. I have gotten my eggs frozen so there is definitely the potential of that. If it is meant to be, it will happen. If not, I’m very comfortable where I’m at.”
Elsewhere in her interview, the ‘American Pie’ star also said she has “forgiven” the media for hounding her when she was a young star, after she took time to “grow” and “let go” of her anger.
She explained: “I didn’t [for a long time], and I was upset about it when I was younger. But I realised the only way I was going to grow and get out of that situation was to grow as a woman. So therefore, I do forgive them now. I have moved on, and my press has changed. I’m not angry about it anymore. When you finally let something go, it goes. It’s like taking a balloon and putting it up in the air, and it’s gone. I’m 45 years old and I’m not a child anymore.”
And Tara said praying and listening to tapes by author Deepak Chopra have helped to direct her energy into something “positive”.
She added: “I do pray, and who I pray to depends on what situation I am in. I pray to Jesus, but I also pray to my parents all the time. They are probably my number one. And I pray to my guardian angels; I pray to St. Jude, St. John, or St. Christopher. They have different meanings depending upon what you are in need of.
“I also listen to tapes by Deepak Chopra which has helped me tremendously. His tapes help you break down, ‘Who am I close to? Who am I? What do I want? What do I not want?’ And you really have to write it out in a diary form. My life started changing. A lot of us don’t know how to direct that positive energy, and I think that he is someone that really knows how to give that to you.”
Allison Kugel can be found on Instagram at theallisonkugel and AllisonKugel.com.
OHMYGOSSIP — A judge has denied Britney Spears’ request to have her dad removed from her conservatorship. Jamie Spears has been in control of his daughter’s personal and business affairs since 2008, but Britney claimed last week her conservatorship is “abusive”, and now a request from her lawyer Samuel D. Ingham III for her father to be suspended as co-conservator has been rejected.
A court order obtained by E! News, which a Los Angeles Superior Court judge signed on Wednesday (30.06.21), states: “The conservator’s request to suspend James P. Spears immediately upon the appointment of Bessemer Trust Company of California, N.A. as sole conservator of estate is denied without prejudice.”
Last November, Judge Brenda Penny denied a request for Jamie to be removed from the conservatorship. But she appointed wealth-management firm Bessemer Trust Company as co-conservator at the time.
Britney spoke out in court last week about her conservatorship, claiming it has left her “traumatised” and “depressed” – and she called for her father Jamie Spears to be jailed.
Britney Spears said: “They have me going to therapy three times a week and to a psychiatrist. I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. I don’t feel like I can live a full life. In the meantime, I want this therapist to come to my home, I’m not willing to go to Westlake … They set me up by sending me to the most exposed places. I need your help. My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management … they should be in jail.”
Spears, a mother of two, said she wanted to marry her boyfriend and have another baby, but the conservatorship would not allow her to. She claimed she was prevented from having a contraceptive intrauterine device (IUD) removed so she could get pregnant. Dozens of fans gathered outside court, holding signs that read “Free Britney now!” and “Get out of Britney’s life!”
Following his daughter’s comments, Jamie’s legal team released a statement insisting he “loves his daughter very much”.
They said: “He is sorry to see is daughter suffering and in so much pain. Mr Spears loves his daughter very much.”
Several stars have voiced their support for Britney following her court appearance, including her ex Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Khloe Kardashian, Halsey, and Wendy Williams.
OHMYGOSSIP — Rebel Wilson feels “sad” that she didn’t lose weight earlier. The ‘Pitch Perfect’ star shed 60 lbs after prioritising her health and wellbeing in 2020, but has said she sometimes feels as though she should have taken the steps to get her health under control a decade ago.
She said: “Now that I know I can do it, sometimes I feel sad that I didn’t do it earlier. Maybe I should have tried when I was 30, not 40.”
However, Rebel understands that “everybody’s journey is different”, and insisted losing weight shouldn’t be a “race or competition” against anyone else. She added: “But everybody’s journey is different, and it’s not a race or competition. I’ve always been a bit of a late developer. I started acting when I was turning 19, which is quite late. And when I came to America as an actress, I was almost 30, which again, is quite late. So I try not to compare myself to other people.”
The 41-year-old actress said she has “natural empathy” for anyone else struggling with weight loss, and shared some key tips for those looking to get healthier. She told InStyle magazine: I have a natural empathy for anyone who struggles with weight issues because that’s something I’ve always struggled with. And that’s why I put things on Instagram about my journey.
“Obviously, I have access to some amazing high-tech treatments, but what I learned is, it’s really the little things that I do every day that make a difference. Like today, I went for a walk at Griffith Park [in LA] and that’s free. Anyone can go on walks and drink more water and do little, consistent things that’ll improve their lives. It’s not too late to start, no matter what age you are.”
Featured image: Rebel Wilson (Instagram/@rebelwilson)
OHMYGOSSIP — Katherine Ryan is pregnant. The 37-year-old comic surprised the audience at a live recording of her ‘Telling Everybody Everything’ podcast in London when she stepped out on stage in a tight-fitting dress that clung to her huge baby bump.
Katherine refused to share her due date with the audience as she told the crowd her main piece of pregnancy advice was to never reveal that piece of information and she praised the Duchess of Sussex for having only said she will give birth to her second child in the “summertime”.
The ‘Duchess’ star – who is in a civil partnership with Bobby Kootstra – explained being vague stopped people asking too many questions and comparing the size of her bump to other pregnant women.
Katherine later brought out her 11-year-old daughter Violet onto the stage, and the youngster said she was “very excited” to be a big sister.
The comedian previously explained she had shunned the idea of a big wedding in favour of a low-key partnership ceremony in Denmark in 2019 because she thought the traditions surrounding the ritual of marriage were “gross”.
She said: “I don’t want a big occasion because of the history of it and the fact women used to belong to their fathers and then belong to their husbands and put on a white dress because they’re virgins, I mean I think it’s gross and I don’t want to do it,” she admitted. I appreciate that other people like to have a party but again I get to put on beautiful dresses and not have to make an invite list and arrange seating and hire a DJ, I just don’t want to do those things at all.”
Fans had been speculating Katherine was expecting since March, when she shared an image of herself on Instagram sitting on a chair in a yellow dress, with followers thinking they had caught a glimpse of a bump, but this is the first time she has confirmed the news directly.
OHMYGOSSIP – Snapchat CEO and co-founder Evan Spiegel dropped out of Stanford University to start his company. Here are important facts about his life and career. He’s one of the most polarizing figures in the tech world, but there’s no doubt that Evan Spiegel has an incredible impact on the world today. Spiegel is a co-founder and the current CEO of Snapchat, one of the largest social media networks this decade. Spiegel created Snapchat with Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown while they were enrolled at Stanford University. He dropped out of school to spend all of his time and energy on Snapchat. In 2011, Snapchat was released. Under Spiegel’s leadership, Snapchat grew in popularity, especially among young users. By 2018, Snapchat had amassed 187 million users.
Although Spiegel earned a lot of money as an adult, his childhood was also luxurious. His parents were both wealthy lawyers. They raised him in the Pacific Palisades area near Los Angeles. He grew up with all of the amenities that a wealthy kid could ask for. Spiegel attended a private high school and was accepted into Stanford University, which was his father’s alma mater. Many years later, Spiegel did acknowledge his incredible upbringing and his privilege.
In 2013, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recognized that Snapchat was becoming an incredible force in the social media world. To remove the competition, Zuckerberg offered to buy Snapchat for $3 billion. Spiegel turned the down the offer. At the time, Spiegel received a lot of criticism for not taking the $3 billion deal. However, he knew that Snapchat had incredible potential, and he wasn’t ready to sell. The decision paid off as Snapchat went public and is now worth over $20 billion.
BIO
Evan Thomas Spiegel (born June 4, 1990) is an American businessman who is the co-founder and CEO of the American social media company Snap Inc., which he created (as Snapchat Inc.) with Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown while they were students at Stanford University. Spiegel was the youngest billionaire in the world in 2015.
Spiegel was born in Los Angeles, California, into a family of lawyers John W. Spiegel and Melissa Ann Thomas. He grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, where he was raised Episcopalian. He was educated at the Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences in Santa Monica, and attended Stanford University.
Spiegel took design classes at the Otis College of Art and Design while still in high school and at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena the summer before entering Stanford. He also had an unpaid internship in sales at Red Bull. While a student, he worked as a paid intern for a biomedical company, as a careers instructor in Cape Town, South Africa, and at Intuit on the TxtWeb project. Spiegel is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
In April 2011, while studying product design at Stanford, Spiegel proposed an app with ephemeral messaging as a product design class project, an idea which his classmates ridiculed. Later that year, Spiegel worked with fellow Stanford classmates Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown to launch a prototype of this concept called “Picaboo”, which they later renamed as Snapchat. The app’s popularity grew significantly and in 2012, Evan left Stanford to focus on Snapchat shortly before completing his degree. By the end of 2012, Spiegel’s Snapchat app had reached 1 million daily active users.
In February 2017, Spiegel and Murphy pledged to donate upwards of 13,000,000 shares of Class A common stock over the next 15–20 years to an arts, education and youth non-profit. They have created the Snap Foundation which is a non-profit organization targeted to help in these areas. Their mission is to “develop pathways to the creative economy for underrepresented youths in Los Angeles.” Recently they have donated $3 million to people affected by COVID-19. In January 2017 The Wall Street Journal reported that after the predicted March 2017 IPO for Snap Inc., Murphy and Evan Spiegel would hold over “70% of the voting power” in the company, and own around 45% of the total stock.
On July 19, 2018, Spiegel revealed to “Stay Tuned”, NBC News’s show on Snapchat that he completed his degree requirements and graduated from Stanford in 2018. He notes that his baby, Hart Kerr Spiegel, was his motivation to complete his collegiate education so that he can inspire his son to graduate from college as well.
Spiegel began dating Australian model Miranda Kerr in 2015. They became engaged on July 20, 2016. They married in a private ceremony in Los Angeles on May 27, 2017. Just a month before Spiegel’s engagement to Kerr, he purchased a 7,164 square foot, $12 million house that was previously owned by Harrison Ford. In November 2017, Kerr announced that she and Spiegel were expecting their first child.On May 7, 2018, Miranda gave birth to their son Hart Kerr Spiegel, named after Spiegel’s grandfather.In March 2019, the couple announced that they are expecting their second child together, Kerr’s third. In October 2019, Kerr gave birth to Myles Spiegel.
As of 2016, Spiegel was ranked at number 854 on the Forbes 400 with $4 billion in wealth. After, in 2017, Spiegel became one of the youngest public company CEOs at age 26 when Snap began trading in March. Spiegel is also a member of the Berggruen Institute’s 21st Century Council.
In 2018, he and his son Hart received French citizenship through a clause in the naturalization laws that waives French residency requirements for applicants that contribute to the French culture or economy.
OHMYGOSSIP — Demi Lovato has been “left with brain damage” after her near-fatal drug overdose. The 28-year-old pop star took an overdose in July 2018 and although she survived the ordeal, Demi is still dealing with the effects of the health scare.
She shared: “I was left with brain damage, and I still deal with the effects of that today. I don’t drive a car, because I have blind spots on my vision.
“And I also for a long time had a really hard time reading. It was a big deal when I was able to read out of a book, which was like two months later because my vision was so blurry.”
Demi thinks the lingering impact of the overdose continues to act as a warning to her. She explained: “I dealt with a lot of the repercussions and I feel like they are still there to remind me of what could happen if I ever get into a dark place again. I’m grateful for those reminders, but I’m so grateful that I was someone that didn’t have to do a lot of rehabbing. The rehabbing came on the emotional side.”
Despite this, Demi insisted she “wouldn’t change a thing” about the aftermath of her overdose drama. The ‘Cool for the Summer’ hitmaker told People: “Everything had to happen in order for me to learn the lessons that I learned. It was a painful journey, and I look back and sometimes I get sad when I think of the pain that I had to endure to overcome what I have, but I don’t regret anything.”
Demi feels proud of how she’s managed to navigate the struggles in her life and how she’s recovered from her overdose. She said: “I’m so proud of the person I am today.”
OHMYGOSSIP — FKA Twigs has alleged Shia LaBeouf would wake her up in the middle of the night to call her “disgusting and vile” during their relationship. The ‘Cellophane’ hitmaker has filed court documents accusing the ‘Transformers’ actor of sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress during the course of their brief relationship in 2019, and has now claimed part of her harrowing experience involved LaBeouf starting arguments late at night.
Twigs also alleged LaBeouf would force her to “sleep naked”, because he believed she was “keeping herself from him” if she slept with clothes on. Speaking in an interview with Gayle King for ‘CBS This Morning’, she said: “[Shia] would often start an argument with me in the middle of the night. He would start accusing me of doing all sorts of things, planning to leave him in my head. That I was disgusting and vile. Nothing was ever true, but I would really doubt myself, especially when I would wake up, and he would be like ‘You were lying there with your eyes open, planning to leave me.’ And I would be like ‘I was literally asleep.’
“He would only want me to sleep naked because he said if I didn’t, I was keeping myself from him. It’s this tactic that a lot of abusers use, it’s just this constant availability and everything’s centred around them and I think that’s why I wanted to come out and talk about this because the signs really are from the beginning.”
And when Gayle asked if there was ever a specific time in their relationship with Twigs noticed the signs of abuse, the 33-year-old singer insisted it happened “subtly” throughout their time together. She added: “There wasn’t one set moment. But it’s very subtle. That’s the thing about, you know, domestic abuse, domestic violence. It’s a real gradual step by step process to get somebody to a place where they lose themselves so much that they accept or feel like they deserve to be treated in that way. It’s not one thing, it’s loads of tiny little things that get sewn together into a nightmare.”
Since Twigs came forward with her allegations, LaBeouf has issued an apology in which he branded many of Twigs’ claims as “not true”, but also admitted he had been “abusive to myself and everyone around me for years”. And in her interview with Gayle, Twigs accused LaBeouf of “gaslighting” within his statement. She said: “It reminds me of some of the gaslighting I experienced when I was with him. This taking some of the blame, but not all of it, and then denying it.”
OHMYGOSSIP — Eve Hewson wants a “robot boyfriend”. The 29-year-old actress – who is the daughter of U2 singer Bono – finds the current dating scene “hopeless”, and so has turned her attention on acquiring a technological partner that she can “unplug” when she’s had enough.
She said: “It’s hopeless out there. It’s really a disappointment. I’ve heard they’re creating these girlfriend robots and hopefully soon they’ll do boyfriend robots, so I think I’m just going to wait for those. You could just unplug them when they bother you.”
Eve’s decision to give up on real-life boyfriends also comes after her famous dad had to stop hiring “good-looking support bands” to accompany U2 on tour, as his daughter was a “little troublemaker”. The ‘Tesla’ star explained to Town & Country magazine: “There got to a point in my teens when my dad couldn’t hire good-looking support bands any more. “He was like ‘No more boys in their 20s, please God!’ ”And when the actress does find her perfect robot partner, it’ll need to be programmed to follow the feminist movement, as she previously branded “non-feminists” as “a**holes”.
She said: “Some people just don’t like that word for whatever reason. I’m not afraid of it at all … equality. That’s how I see it anyway. That’s why I think if you are a non-feminist, you are an a**hole because you don’t believe in equality for women.”
The ‘Robin Hood’ actress also commented on the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements – which aim to bring an end to sexual harassment – and said that whilst she hasn’t been the victim of “anything really bad”, there are certain things she “brushed off” which she now believes she should speak up about.
She added: “I haven’t had anything really bad, but when all that stuff came out, it did make me look at situations at the time I had sort of brushed off. I’m over it and now I feel like I not only have the power to speak up but I need to speak up. I’ve been on set where crew members say things to you, whisper in your ear, follow you around.”
OHMYGOSSIP — Scott Disick and Amelia Hamlin are “still not super serious”. The 37-year-old TV star and Amelia, 19, recently made their romance Instagram official, but they’re trying to keep things casual for the time being.
An insider explained: “Scott and Amelia are having a blast together. They’ve been going out with friends, spending time together and overall just having a really good time. They’re still not super serious and are just taking things day by day and keeping things light and fun.” Amelia is determined that their burgeoning romance remains casual for the moment, as she doesn’t need “a crazy commitment”.
Similarly, Scott – who has Mason, 11, Penelope, eight, and Reign, six, with Kourtney Kardashian – is trying to keep things “low key” between them.
The source told ‘Entertainment Tonight’: “Amelia is young and doesn’t want or need a crazy commitment and Scott likes that things are low key and easy with her.”
Scott and Amelia recently confirmed their romance via Instagram, with the TV star sharing some photos taken during a romantic date night in Miami, Florida.
Scott’s ex, Kourtney – who recently started dating Travis Barker – is said to be unconcerned about his new romance, provided he continues to be “a good dad”. A source said: “Kourtney is doing just fine and doesn’t have romantic feelings towards Scott anymore. She’s OK with Scott and Amelia’s relationship as long as he continues to prioritise their kids and be a good dad.”
Meanwhile, another of Scott’s high-profile ex-girlfriends, Sofia Richie, has already moved on from their relationship and is instead focused on her own future. An insider revealed that the blonde beauty is “happy to be out of her relationship with Scott and is focusing on herself, moving on and meeting new people”.
OHMYGOSSIP — Bianca Gascoigne and Kris Boyson have split. The 34-year-old model and 29-year-old personal trainer have called time on their 11-month relationship due to work pressures but “remain friends” despite the split.
In a statement released to The Sun Online, a spokesperson said: “Bianca and Kris have decided to part ways and are no longer in a relationship. But they remain friends and no others parties were involved in their split. They have both started new businesses and these have meant their time together has become less frequent.”
The pair began dating in March 2020, and Bianca and Kris moved in together after just a few weeks when COVID-19 lockdown rules began being introduced in the UK.
Kris was previously engaged to Katie Price but they split in November 2019. Katie, 42, has now moved on and is in a relationship with Carl Woods. Kris previously described Bianca – whose mother is Sheryl Gascoigne and adopted dad is England football legend Paul Gascoigne – as “ultimate wifey material”.
He said: “I’m the happiest I’ve ever been … B is ultimate wifey material. I’ll be finishing work after a hard day and even if she’s had work, she’ll make sure dinner is ready. It’s amazing because it shows that she’s committed. But we just bounce off each other. She’s got a great personality and we just get on and have a laugh.”
OHMYGOSSIP — Luke Bryan has admitted it is “very, very tough” not being able to hug ‘American Idol’ contestants. The 44-year-old country singer and his fellow judges Lionel Richie and Katy Perry have found it “heartbreaking” not being able to step in and offer tactile support because of the guidelines in place due to the coronavirus pandemic when auditionees are overcome with emotion when they perform for the panel for the first time.
He told People magazine: “The interesting thing is just trying to navigate all of the new rules of COVID-19. One tricky thing is a lot of times during the audition process, contestants will get very, very emotional and it will be an emotional situation for them. The fact that me and Lionel and Katy can’t walk out there and do the human element — hug and show support and love, is very, very tough.
“I think that’s one thing you’ll see as a viewer of me and Lionel and Katy. When someone is hurting and they’re emotional, you want to console them and hug them and love on them to help them through. The fact that sometimes we can’t go put our arms around them is pretty heartbreaking.”
But despite the restrictions, Luke has reassured fans the show will still “look and feel the same” and he thinks producers have managed to navigate the guidance in order to put together an “amazing” programme.
He said: “At the core of it, it’s all about those wonderful singers and talented singers walking in the door and really blowing our minds as judges.
“I think through all of the COVID restrictions and rules, we’ve been able to really, really put an amazing show together, and very excited to see some of the talent that we’ve been able to find.”
OHMYGOSSIP — Dame Joan Collins “never thought” she’d get married for a fifth time. The 87-year-old actress admitted the 9/11 terrorist attack in New York in 2001 prompted her and Percy Gibson – who is 31 years her junior – to tie the knot because it made them realise “life was short”.
She recalled: “I met Percy in 2000 in San Francisco – I was doing a play with George Hamilton, and Percy was the company manager. Percy and I became very close and we had so much in common that, after about a year, we decided to make it legal. I think it was 9/11 that put it into perspective. We decided that life was short and who knew what was going to happen. I never thought I was going to get married again, I’d done it four times already – but we loved each other and that was that. And we had a wonderful, wonderful wedding, at Claridge’s.”
The former ‘Dynasty’ star admitted her marriage to Percy has been a “proper” relationship and they are “very happy” together.
Speaking to The Telegraph Magazine she said: “I have been married four times before but this was a proper wedding, and it’s been a proper marriage for 19 years – 19 very happy years. My children adore Percy and they were delighted to hear we were getting married, as were all of our friends.”
And Joan thinks it is “amazing” that they have barely clashed over the last year, when they’ve been isolating together amid the coronavirus pandemic. She said: “Percy and I have a wonderful relationship and we treat each other with great respect and kindness – I believe that you should treat somebody the way you want to be treated yourself. Of course we argue, but amazingly we haven’t argued much during this lockdown, considering we have been together 24/7 for almost a year. Of course it’s been difficult – for someone like me who is very social and likes going out, to the theatre and to the cinema and meeting friends, it’s been very hard.
“And it’s also been very hard on my carpet, because I have worn a path on it with all the walking I’ve done.”
