November 23, 2010

Happy Mondays star Bez is a wanted man - police are seeking the star for failing to answer bail after allegedly breaking a restraining order by contacting his ex-girlfriend. The dancer/percussionist's former partner Monica Ward claimed he had been harassing her with phone calls and text messages since he was found guilty in August this year of attacking her during a domestic dispute.

Bez, real name Mark Berry, was jailed for a month when he refused to carry out his community service sentence. He was also handed a restraining order preventing him from contacting Ward for two years. He was reportedly questioned by cops earlier this month but Bez missed his last scheduled bail appointment on November 17 and police officers have been unable to contact him since.

Mel Gibson will have to wait a little longer before ending his bitter custody battle with ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva - a judge won't make a ruling until December at the earliest. The former couple has been fighting over 12-month-old Lucia since they split earlier this year, with Grigorieva accusing the actor of attacking her during a heated argument in January.

Gibson's legal advisors have been arguing that her public comment suggest she's only interested in damaging his reputation, and they've requested the "Braveheart" star be given full custody of Lucia, with Grigorieva only allowed monitored visits during the day.

Bob Hoskins and Simon Cowell were among the big winners at the International Emmy Awards in New York on Monday night, November 22. British actor Hoskins picked up the Best Male Actor trophy for his turn in "The Street", while the U.K. series won the Best Drama award at the ceremony celebrating the best in non-American TV programming.

Cowell was applauded for his work on reality TV shows including "The X Factor" as he was handed the special honorary International Emmy Founders Award. Accepting his prize, he joked to the crowd, "Whoever said fame, money, success will destroy you (was) completely wrong. Bring it on. Genuinely, my life was boring before I went on TV and instead now I've got lots of friends."

"Factory Girl" director George Hickenlooper died from an accidental overdose, a coroner has confirmed. The filmmaker passed away in Colorado in October, aged 47, while he was promoting his latest film, "Casino Jack", starring Kevin Spacey.

The Colorado medical examiner submitted a report on Monday, November 22 stating Hickenlooper died after taking a mix of alcohol with ethanol and oxymorphone, which affected his breathing.

Boy band Westlife are desperate to perform at British royal Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton's big wedding next year - because "every artist in the world" would want to perform at the high profile event. The couple announced wedding plans last week after revealing the romantic prince had proposed to his girlfriend in Kenya.

Westlife have now offered their services to the couple and admit they'd love to discuss performing a set list at the reception. Band member Shane Filan tells Britain's Live From Studio Five, "Every artist in the world would sing at that wedding."

Daniel Radcliffe has credited the grueling action scenes in the "Harry Potter" movie franchise with helping him deal with his learning difficulty. The British actor suffers from dyspraxia, an impairment that leaves the star with movement and co-ordination problems.

But Radcliffe is adamant the intense training he has undertaken to film challenging scenes as the boy wizard have helped him cope with his condition. He says, "If anything, the stunts and stuff has actually helped a lot because it deals with co-ordination and that's the main thing that I'd say about dyspraxia is that it's to do with co-ordination... Some people have it very badly and find it hard to, you know, catch a ball... I've never had it quite that badly - although you should see me throw - but it's also a processing thing, so I take in information slightly slower than everyone else does."

Gene Simmons wants Simon Cowell's job - he's convinced he would make a better judge on the TV mogul's reality singing contests because he has real experience in the music industry. The KISS rocker has joined a string of stars, including Sir Elton John and The Who's Roger Daltrey, who have taken aim at Cowell and his hit TV competitions.

Simmons insists he is "more qualified than anybody" to dole out advice on the program, which he claims will never discover any new music legends like Jimi Hendrix or Robert Plant. He tells Britain's Daily Star, "I think I could be the sole judge on The X Factor, I'm more qualified than anybody on the show. Nobody on the show has written songs, then been on stage, or had record companies and managed Liza Minnelli. Nobody can shine my shoes."

Fox Searchlight Pictures has debuted the first clip for "Black Swan" to tease audience before the film hits limited U.S. theaters on December 3. It sees Natalie Portman's Nina who is shocked after looking her weird reflection in a mirror. But she gets furious after learning that her rival Mila Kunis' Lily is in the same room with her.

Nina is the best ballerina in a New York City ballet company and lives with her retired ballerina mother who zealously supports her daughter's professional ambition. When artistic director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer, Lily, who impresses Leroy as well.

Another new track from T.I.'s forthcoming studio album "No Mercy" has just hit the web. It's titled "Welcome to the World" and features fellow rapper Kanye West and his protege Kid Cudi. While T.I. and Kanye take turn in rapping, Cudi provides some humming sounds on the background.

Originally titled "King Uncaged", the album is due December 7 in the U.S. Beside "Welcome to the World", there are at least two other songs, "Get Back Up" and "That's All She Wrote", which have already been out for listening pleasure. The former features Chris Brown and the latter features Eminem.

Tom Felton has visited George Lopez on his show "Lopez Tonight" on Monday, November 22. During his appearance, the 23-year-old British actor didn't only talk about his new movie "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I" but also showed his golf swing.

After talking about female fans who are crazy about him and things that they did to attract him, Tom was challenged to break as many thing as he could using golf stick and balls in 21 seconds. While the Draco Malfoy of "Harry Potter" movie series could only break two things, host George managed to damage three things with his golf swing.

Warner Bros. Pictures will revive another vampire-themed story for they have picked up the rights to the remake of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". The project has Charles Roven and Steve Alexander teaming up with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui, her husband Kaz Kuzui, Roy Lee and Doug Davison to serve as producers, while Whit Anderson writes the script.

The original creator of the story, Joss Whedon, however is not involved in the reboot project. And soon after the news mentioning "Buffy" remake is set up at Warner Bros surfaces, he despises the plan and expresses his disagreement. "This is a sad, sad reflection on our times, when people must feed off the carcasses of beloved stories from their youths - just because they can't think of an original idea of their own, like I did with my Avengers idea that I made up myself," he tells E! Online.

Miley Cyrus didn't wait until she officially turns 18 on Tuesday, November 23 to act like an adult. During a birthday bash at Hollywood club Trousdale, the Disney star was photographed engaged in a heavy makeout session with teen star Avan Jogia on Sunday night, November 21.

In a picture obtained by Us Magazine, Miley was seen leaning up against a banquette with Avan pressing on top of her and seductively nuzzling her neck. In addition to the racy act, Miley was wrapped in a sultry outfit too. The "Who Owns My Heart" singer donned a black leather bikini top and skin-tight trousers.

New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys' 24-date 2011 summer tour will begin in Connecticut in June. The two boyband supergroups, who performed together at Sunday's November 21 American Music Awards, will launch the dates at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on June 2. The concerts will wrap up in Vancouver, Canada on July 9.

A joint statement reads, "We can't thank our fans enough for their continued support. The love that everyone has shown to us and to this project is incredible. We can feel the excitement and we won't let the fans down. And with our new and elaborate stage design there won't be one bad seat in the house."

Pop princess Miley Cyrus marks a big milestone in her life on Tuesday, November 23 - the pop star turns 18. The daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his now-estranged wife Tish, Miley was always destined for a life in the spotlight.

Since finding fame as "Hannah Montana" in 2006, she has gained a loyal fan following around the world and is now a successful solo singer. To say Happy Birthday to Miley, WENN has compiled 18 fascinating facts about the teen star:

A new preview to "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" has been released in form of a trailer. It opens with footage where Justin Bieber sprays string and throws popcorn while the screen features words that read, "This Valentine's Day / See Bieber like never before." Sharing new glimpses from the singer's childhood and behind the scenes of his performances, the video ends with Bieber learning about the cameras used to shoot his 3-D flick.

For those who are still curious about the film, Paramount Pictures has planned to hold a sneak preview event on February 9, 2011, or few days before the movie hits U.S. cinemas on February 11. Beside getting a look at the movie in 3-D, fans in the U.S. and Canada will get official movie merchandise and purple 3-D glasses with $30 per pack. Check out jb3dpreview.com to purchase the tickets and learn more about the exclusive event.

Indian actress Freida Pinto has ruled out starring in a Bollywood movie - because many of the films are "churned out" by producers with no quality control. Pinto shot to worldwide stardom with her role in 2008 movie "Slumdog Millionaire", playing the long lost friend of an impoverished youth from Mumbai who triumphs on a TV game show.

She has been offered several "stereotypical" roles for "a girl from India" since finding fame - but she's adamant she will avoid parts in all-singing, all-dancing Bollywood movies. Pinto tells Britain's Daily Telegraph Magazine, "I wouldn't want to do a Bollywood film per se, but I would like to do an Indian-language film. For some reason I think Bollywood has become synonymous with commercial cinema, which is song and dance and everything that is larger than life, and I am interested in the reality... It is great to have entertainment, but I think there needs to be something that also makes you want to go back and think about what you've seen."

Daniel Radcliffe has fueled gossip he's secretly gay by confessing he liked wearing co-star Clemence Poesy's tight-fitting clothes in the latest "Harry Potter" movie "The Deathly Hallows". The French actress' character, Fleur Delacour, drinks a potion to become a Potter double in the hit film - and Radcliffe had to change into her clothes for the gender-bending scene.

And he admits he enjoyed it. The young Brit says, "I was actually quite pleased, and this is only going to add fuel to the fires of the rumor that I'm gay. I don't really care, I'm sort of passed the point of caring... I looked fantastic in Fleur's outfit! I think I looked really good. It was these sort of skin tight trousers... with a clingy top and a nice little cropped blue jacket on top. Really nice... I was really pleased."

TV bosses have stepped up security for the finale of "Dancing with the Stars" on Monday night, November 22 after contestant Bristol Palin and her partner Mark Ballas received death threats over the weekend. A mysterious package containing talcum powder arrived for Palin at the show's Hollywood studios on Friday, November 19, prompting a studio evacuation, and now sources tell TMZ.com she and Ballas have been targeted with death threats.

The pair hit the headlines a week ago after show favorite Brandy was voted off. Many TV fans felt Palin should have been the one asked to leave the program. TMZ.com reports producers asked Ballas to stop tweeting about the anti-Palin sentiment - because his actions were merely inciting those keen to harm the daughter of former U.S. vice-president candidate Sarah Palin. Officials at the FBI are still investigating the talcum powder incident.

Wesley Snipes' attorney has dismissed reports the actor has surrendered to authorities to begin his prison term after he was listed by federal officials as "in transit". On Friday, November 19, a Florida judge ordered the "Blade" star to turn himself into police immediately to start his three-year sentence for tax evasion.

Snipes' legal representatives have been fighting his 2008 conviction for the past two years, after he was found guilty of failing to file returns or pay tax on earnings of $38 million, dating back to 1999. The 48 year old appealed the ruling but lost the case earlier this year.

Charlie Sheen refused to take no action after escort Capri Anderson, who was found with the actor during his October Plaza hotel meltdown, conducted a TV interview and claimed Sheen had threatened her life. On Monday, November 22, the "Two and a Half Men" actor hit back the allegation by filing a lawsuit against Anderson in Los Angeles County Superior Court, People reported.

In the lawsuit, Sheen stated that Capri tried to extort $1 million from him after their "consensual encounter" in the New York hotel room. "This case involves a shakedown and extortion of the internationally known actor and celebrity Charlie Sheen... by an opportunist pornographic film star and publicity-hungry scam artist," the lawsuit stated.

Justin Bieber sat down with Barbara Walters in an empty stadium for an interview as part of her annual "10 Most Fascinating People" special. Walters announced on Monday, November 22 morning during an episode of "The View", saying "I am in my plug a day. ...Justin Bieber is one of our 10 most fascinating people of 2010".

According to Examiners, Walters further said that Bieber may cut or change the style of his famous hair during the interview. The 16-year-old is expected to talk about his relationship with mentor Usher, and him being courted by Justin Timberlake to join his record company.

Keke Palmer has debuted a music video for her single "The One You Call". The clip follows the Nickelodeon star as she is hanging around with her female pals and ignoring the phone calls from a guy who did her wrong. "You should really go back to her/ Cuz right now you get on my nerves," she sings.

Coming out without her consent, the song is expected to be included in Palmer's upcoming studio album which is yet to be titled. She said of the leak, "I was very upset, but decided I could either cry about it or take matters into my own hands by turning a negative into a positive and that is why I wanted to do this video, thanks to all of the people who helped me to pull this one together."

Trace Adkins, Alabama and Kris Kristofferson have teamed up to pay tribute to late country legend Waylon Jennings on a new album. "The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings" will be the first of a trilogy of tributes to Jennings, who died in 2002.

Alabama's rendition of "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" will be released as the project's first single on November 29. It's the band's first new recording in a decade. Kristofferson and Patty Griffin will duet on "Rose in Paradise", and Jennings' widow, Jessi Colter, will perform "Good Hearted Woman".

Pre-teen punk phenomenon J.P. Toulon was saluted by fans and friends at his group Old Skull's former headquarters in New York on Sunday, November 21 following his mysterious November 13 death. Toulon was just nine when he formed the band that would become Old Skull with his brother Jamie in 1989.

The brothers' debut album, "Get Outta School", was an immediate underground success and the young act became a college breakout act. Old Skull hit the road with Restless Records labelmates The Flaming Lips and Sonic Youth and followed up their debut with another cult hit, "C.I.A Drug Fest", in 1992.

Brian Eno has taken aim at the producers of "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps", accusing them of "cretinous" editing of his music in the movie. The revered former Roxy Music star is frustrated that modern technology makes it too easy for record producers to cut sections of songs and transform the arrangement.

And he is adamant the practice is equally damaging to films - singling out Oliver Stone's "Wall Street" sequel for criticism after his own songs were "chopped about" on the soundtrack. He tells Britain's Seven magazine, "I went to a movie the other evening and it made me think a lot about the danger of editing."

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke is calling on fans and friends to help him create a huge human art image of 11th century Viking leader Canute that is visible from space. Yorke is developing the ambitious project with bosses at environmental charity 350 EARTH to raise awareness about the globe's climate-change issues.

His 'statue' will be one of 16 created around the globe and photographed by satellites on the eve of a United Nations meeting in Cancun, Mexico, according to Spinner. In a post on Radiohead's website, Yorke writes, "The plan is to make images visible from the skies to remind those in Cancun that we are running out of time. We can't keep putting this off."

Billy Bob Thornton has learned to keep his mouth shut about certain things when he's chatting to the media - but insists he'll never be rude to the people who publicize his films. The actor has been much maligned for his quirks and comments in the past and now, after a Hollywood hiatus, he's back with a vengeance in new action blockbuster "Faster". But this time, he's choosing his words carefully.

He tells WENN, "We're living in a time in the entertainment business when if you have the opportunity to do something real, it is nice to be able to talk about it. Most movies are about vampires in 3-D or fantasy movies and war eagles, so when you are an actual actor and you want to do real movies and you want to stay grounded over the years we do get to know a lot of the press."

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is yearning to settle down and start a family, insisting having children is priority now that he's approaching 30. The "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" star, who is rumored to be dating 20-year-old country singer Taylor Swift, will mark the milestone in December 19 and he admits he's eager to become a father after spending so much time with his sister Maggie's daughter Ramona.

He tells USA Weekend, "It's incredible to see the traits she has. She mimics things that my sister or my brother-in-law do, and it makes me laugh. I just adore her."

Halle Berry's ex Gabriel Aubry has reportedly found love again - with Kim Kardashian. The Canadian model, who split from Berry earlier this year, was spotted attending a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game with the socialite last week and sources tell Life & Style magazine the couple is a hot new item.

The insider says, "Kim and Gabriel met a few times while they were both in New York, and there was definitely chemistry, but when Kim returned to Los Angeles last Thursday, they really took it to the next level. They went out to dinner, caught the Lakers game and spent time at Kim's house."

"Slumdog Millionaire" star Freida Pinto felt "uncomfortable" filming a harrowing scene for her new movie "Miral" - because the woman she portrays was watching the shoot from the shadows. Rula Jebreal, the real-life orphaned Palestinian girl she plays in the film, was a consultant on set - and she had to relive her tortured youth in Jerusalem in the wake of the first Arab-Israeli war.

Based on her own semi-autobiographical novel, the film features graphic torture scenes which Jebreal experienced. Pinto tells Britain's Daily Telegraph Magazine, "Sometimes it would be a bit daunting to have her around, especially when I filmed the torture scene... I was a bit uncomfortable having Rula there then."

Lindsay Lohan has been granted permission to get back on the road - she has won the right to drive again from Los Angeles probation officials and doctors in charge of her rehab program. The "Mean Girls" star, who has been in and out of jail and rehab this year, is currently serving a three-month stint at the Betty Ford Clinic in Palm Springs, California after violating her probation by failing two mandatory drug tests in September.

She completed the first phase of her treatment earlier this month and was moved to a 'sober house', where she can make supervised day trips.

Rap mogul Jay-Z has ruled out adding politician to his resume - insisting most of those in public office are self-serving "liars". The "99 Problems" hitmaker has several business interests and is always keen to expand his empire, but he's adamant he has no desire to emulate his pal, U.S. President Barack Obama, by launching a political career.

He tells Britain's Guardian magazine, "I'm not interested in politics. I have zero interest. I have interest in hope and people. Politics - I still think it's a bunch of liars and a bunch of self-interest. It's not about people, it's about themselves and their rise to power."

R&B superstar Usher is at the center of a plagiarism lawsuit amid allegations his song "Caught Up" was stolen from material written by an aspiring singer. Wadena Pyatt claims she landed a record contract with Alicia Keys' MBK Entertainment label in 2003 and penned the track for inclusion on her debut album.

But according to the legal documents filed in New York, Pyatt was left dumbfounded when she discovered Usher had used it for his hit album "Confessions" and she was not listed as one of the songwriters. Instead, the disc states "Caught Up" was the work of Ryan Toby, Andre Harris, Vidal Davis and Jason Boyd. The song was released as a single in 2004.

The headline-grabbing Playboy model portrayed by Tatum O'Neal in TV movie "Woman on Trial: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story" has died at the age of 52. Laurie Bembenek passed away on Saturday, November 20 due to complications from hepatitis C and kidney failure, according to the New York Post.

She quit modeling and became a police officer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but hit headlines again when she was convicted of murdering her then-husband, Milwaukee Police Department detective Elfred 'Fred' Schultz's ex-wife, Christine Schultz, in 1981. Bembenek escaped prison in 1990 with the help of an incarcerated boyfriend and was on the run for three months until she was captured in Canada. She was nicknamed 'Bambi' by the media during the chase.

Reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian is nursing her 11-month-old baby back to health after he was hospitalised on Friday night, November 19 for allergies. Baby Mason, Kardashian's son with boyfriend Scott Disick, was transported by ambulance from the couple's Los Angeles, California home to a nearby hospital after the worried mum called emergency services.

Grandmother Kris Jenner tells U.S. TV's Good Day L.A., "Mason had a little allergic reaction over the weekend, on Friday night, to peanut butter." The tot has since returned home and his aunt, Kim Kardashian, insists the boy is "totally fine".

Celebrity tattoo artist Kat Von D is mourning the death of her beloved cat and the loss of her life's possessions after her California home was destroyed by a fire on Sunday night, November 21. The L.A. Ink star, who is dating Sandra Bullock's ex-husband Jesse James, logged on to her Twitter.com blog on Monday, November 22 to share the devastating news.

Posting a photo of the feline, she wrote, "my house burned down last night with my cat inside... R.I.P Valentine, you will be missed." As WENN went to press, Von D had not shed details on what caused the fire or if she had been home during the incident.

British royal Prince William has been hailed a real-life hero after helping to rescue a man stranded on a mountain in Wales, two days after announcing his engagement to Kate Middleton. The 28-year-old heir returned to work as a helicopter rescue pilot for the Royal Air Force immediately after revealing his plans to wed on Tuesday, November 16 - and one of his team's first call outs on Thursday saw them come to the aid of Greg Watkins, who had suffered a suspected heart attack on Mount Snowdon, the highest peak in Wales.

The Prince's four-man crew managed to lift Watkins to safety in wet and windy conditions and he has expressed his gratitude to the young royal and his colleagues. Watkins tells Britain's Sunday Mirror newspaper, "If it wasn't for him and the rest of his crew, I'd be dead."

Wesley Snipes has turned himself into authorities and is on his way to prison after a judge ordered him to surrender and begin serving his three-year sentence for tax evasion. The "Blade" star, 48, has spent the past two years fighting his 2008 conviction, which found him guilty of failing to file returns or pay tax on earnings of $38 million, dating back to 1999.

He lost an appeal in July this year, but U.S. District Court Judge Terrell Hodges granted him a sentence postponement pending a retrial hearing this month. In a Florida court last week, Snipes' lawyer Daniel Meachum maintained jurors in the 2008 trial had been biased against the star, amid allegations three members of the jury had made up their minds about the case before the court battle began.

Leonardo DiCaprio experienced a mid-air nightmare on his way to the Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia when one of the engines on his Delta aircraft shut down. DiCaprio was among the passengers on the flight bound for Moscow on Sunday, November 21, according to UsMagazine.com.

The commercial jetliner was forced to return to New York's JFK International Airport. The movie star's representative says, "Leonardo wishes to commend the actions of the pilot and flight crew in bringing the plane to a safe landing."

Joe Jonas has revealed which direction he intends to go for his upcoming first solo studio album. Instead of keeping his path on the Jonas Brothers pop/rock music, he decided to switch the lane by recording up-tempo beat.

Though so, dance music was not Joe's first choice. The middle of the Jonas band actually started his solo studio project with a softer sound, sharing to In Style "I began writing it with a Michael Buble mentality, but now I'm switching gears a bit."

"Chuck" is celebrating Thanksgiving with the mysterious Gregory Tuttle. In "Chuck Vs. the Leftovers", it's the day after Thanksgiving and Chuck faces the most awkward of family reunions when mom comes over for dinner-along with the dangerous Alexei Volkoff.

In an interview with Zap2It, creator Chris Fedak talked about the alter ego of Timothy Dalton's character. He said, "The great thing about Tim is not only is he a great James Bond-slash-action hero, but he's also a really great comic actor."

Despite rumor that Justin Bieber was not the real winner of Artist of the Year at the recent American Music Awards, fellow celebrities like Sean Garrett and Muse have nothing but good words for the young star. They agreed that the Canadian singer is now the hottest guy in the game.

"He just kind of came out of nowhere," Garrett told MTV when asked about his opinion of Bieber's domination at the awards show. "He's excited. He's the youngest in charge, and he's definitely got the ladies." Muse's drummer Dominic Howard added, "Tonight he's won all the awards even though he's not quite a man yet. Boy of the year!"

Jay-Z has fond memories of his years as a drug dealer on the streets of New York - insisting he had "fun" selling crack cocaine. The "99 Problems" hitmaker started peddling illegal substances at the age of 12 as he grew up in a tough area of Brooklyn, but finally turned his back on the trade when his rap career took off.

And he is adamant supplying crack on street corners was "usually" enjoyable, comparing it to socializing with colleagues around an office watercooler. In his memoirs, "Jay-Z Decoded", the rapper writes, "It may sound strange, but it was usually a fun way to spend time. I got to hang out on the block with my crew, talking, cracking jokes. You know how people in office jobs talk at the watercooler? This job was almost all watercooler."

So far, all hints point out that "The Dark Knight Rises" will mark the end of Batman film series by Christopher Nolan. In several new interviews, Christian Bale has affirmed the speculation as he states that it will be the last time he portrays the superhero.

"The thing is that this will be, I believe, unless Chris says different, this will be the last time I'm playing Batman," Bale tells E! Online. Moreover, when sitting down with MTV Movie News, the actor claims he is "very excited" about the upcoming Batman movie "because if Chris maintains, this will be the last one." He adds, "We've got to up it."

Vanessa Paradis struggled to fit in after she found fame as a teenager and was bullied by girls at her school who "hated" her music. The French singer/actress released her debut song "Joe Le Taxi" in 1988 at the age of 14, and it became a worldwide success, topping the charts in her native country for 11 weeks.

But Paradis' school peers reacted badly to her sudden rise to stardom. She tells Britain's OK! magazine, "It was the worst time of my life, in a way. I recorded Joe Le Taxi and then when I went back to school after summer vacation suddenly I was a celebrity and my face was on the cover of every magazine."

British boyband Take That celebrated topping the U.K. chart with their record-breaking album "Progress" on Sunday, November 21 by enjoying a boozy night out. The group shifted 522,000 copies of the album, the biggest first-week opening since "Be Here Now" by Oasis in 1997, and even outsold the rest of the top ten put together.

And frontman Gary Barlow led the celebrations by "taking shots round the room" for all his bandmates except teetotal Robbie Williams - and he ended up nursing a sore head the next day. Speaking on Britain's Radio 1 on Monday, Barlow explained, "We had a little celebration last night."

Mark Feehily struggled to recover from the depression he suffered at the height of his fame with Westlife, but insists he's "living proof" why suicide is never the answer. The Irish singer shot to fame with the boy band in 1998 but fell into a downward spiral and became "very unbalanced" after his bandmates teased him about his weight.

He tells Britain's Daily Mail Weekend magazine, "Back then, all I wanted to do was go home for a long, long time. It wasn't all bad, but there were a lot of feelings that started to creep into my mind. I didn't want to be there getting picked apart by everyone. My weight's always fluctuated from chubby to above normal and I didn't like my bad points being pointed out. I didn't think anyone had the right. There was a time I was very unbalanced."

Jessica Simpson burst into tears when her fiance Eric Johnson popped the question earlier this month because his marriage proposal came as "a total surprise". The sports star asked for Simpson's hand in marriage on November 11 after six months of dating, and the singer admits she had no idea what her partner was planning.

Simpson reveals Johnson requested her parents' permission before asking her to marry him, and she was so overwhelmed by the romantic gesture she couldn't stop crying. She tells America's "The Early Show", "(He) had a plan a long time ago. He had a (talk) with my mom and dad about it... He was a gentleman about it."

Rapper T.I. has revealed his drug problems started when he was prescribed painkillers after dental surgery earlier this year, and he enrolled in therapy sessions after his September arrest to kick his addiction.

The hip-hop star was jailed earlier this month for parole violation after he and his wife Tameka Cottle aka Tiny were detained by police officers who allegedly found drugs during a search of the couple's car. T.I. has now opened up about his demons in a new interview with Vibe magazine, which was conducted prior to his incarceration.

Matthew Fox is planning to get lost "In a Forest, Dark and Deep" as he makes his West End debut. The former "Lost" star is swapping TV for the London stage and has signed up to star in a production of Neil LaBute's psychological thriller about two siblings who take time during a stormy night to re-evaluate their troubled lives.

Fox will appear opposite "An Education" actress Olivia Williams at the British capital's Vaudeville Theatre, with previews scheduled to begin on March 3, ahead of a March 14 opening, according to Variety.

Nicki Minaj has urged Lil Kim to put an end to their public feud, insisting the rapper will be remembered as a "sore loser" if she refuses to embrace her hip-hop successors. The newcomer was left heartbroken when Lil Kim blasted her in an interview and accused her of copying her style, but Minaj hopes her rap idol can save her reputation by putting aside their rivalry.

In an interview with U.S. radio station Hot 97, Minaj says, "I felt like, (Lil Kim is) going to go down in history now as a sore loser as opposed to going down in history as the queen because if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. You don't have to feel the need to put somebody down to make yourself feel better."

Courtney Love has stunned her fans on Twitter.com once again by posting a series of shocking semi-naked photos, which show her flashing her butt and kissing a female friend. The Hole frontwoman quit the microblogging site last month after accidentally publishing a nearly-nude photo of herself which was intended for a boyfriend.

She's since returned to the website and shocked her followers over the weekend by uploading more explicit shots. The photographs show the rocker writhing on a chair and baring her bottom, as well as posing in just a bra. The final snap is of Love kissing a female pal, who is exposing her nipple.

British rocker Dave Stewart has launched a drunken broadside against music industry bosses, accusing them of ruining young talent in a desperate bid to make money. The former Eurythmics star was jetlagged and boozing as he watched the American Music Awards on TV on Sunday night, November 21, and he became infuriated with the show, branding it "c**p".

He blasted Rihanna for singing "ridiculous songs", slammed the "spiraling" standards of young modern acts, and insisted the show reminded him "of when I injected amphetamines in my tearduct". And the rocker now wants to launch his own TV music program in the U.S. to showcase new talent and pay tribute to legendary artists.

One performance in a movie about country music "Country Strong" has been clipped. An exclusive courtesy of Moviefone, it shares a preview to a scene where Garrett Hedlund's Beau Hutton asks Leighton Meester's Chiles Stanton to join him to sing on stage. After initially looking surprised and nervous, she finally performs a duet of "Give In to Me" with Hutton.

The movie will follow young rising singer-songwriter Hutton who becomes involved with a fallen country singer played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Together, they mount his ascent and her comeback, which leads to romantic complications involving her husband/manager (Tim McGraw) and a beauty queen-turned-singer (Meester).

Despite listed as a regular, Taylor Momsen is benched from several more episodes of "Gossip Girl". Her character Jenny Humphrey has been absent before, only appearing in a total of three episodes this season. Deadline's source said Little J will be MIA for at least four episodes beginning the midseason finale on December 6.

Momsen has been making the headlines in the past couple of months for her antics. Beside changing her look to goth and exposing her naked breasts in a live concert, she also blasted her own parents for sending her to work at the age of two. But they may not be the reasons why she is sidelined.

Charlie Sheen's lawyer has blasted allegations the star placed his hands around a model's throat the night he reportedly trashed a New York hotel room, insisting the claims are "completely false" and an "attempt to cash in on his celebrity". The "Two and a Half Men" actor hit headlines last month over reports he ransacked his suite during an alleged night of passion with Capri Anderson.

In a pre-recorded interview with ABC News, which is due to air in the U.S. on Monday, November 22, Anderson claims she was left terrified of the star after he allegedly grabbed her by the neck. Sheen's legal team has been quick to dispute the allegations, and has vowed to defend the actor "vigorously" against the claims.

Teri Hatcher has blasted "ridiculously untrue" reports she's quit "Desperate Housewives", insisting she will stay on the show until "it's canceled". The actress, who has played Susan Mayer in all seven series of the drama since it began in 2004, was said to have told executives at America's ABC network the next season will be her last.

Britain's Sunday Express reported she was leaving the show so she could work on a new series - but Hatcher is fuming over the story, branding it a "reckless fabrication". She's taken to her Facebook.com page to reassure fans she's continuing with her role, which she describes as "one of the highlights of my career", and is demanding a "retraction and apology" over the report.

Angelina Jolie has been working on her directorial debut lately and the first official picture from the movie has been shared. Making its way out via Vasarnapi Hirek (via The Playlist), the image features lead actress Zana Majonovic and Goran Kostic. The site additionally has some behind-the-scene photos of the film.

To the site, Jolie has also been willing to explain a lot about the love story set during Bosnian war. One of the highlights is the actress-turned-helmer's consideration to transfer the movie to black and white while it is shot in color. "It's shot in color but it could transfer to black and white. We haven't decided that," she states.

An early look into the upcoming "Glee" episode is released. One is a clip where the Hummels and the Hudsons make an arrangement of their wedding while the other one is a behind the scene video where Jane Lynch gushes on this week's guest, Carol Burnett.

The official synopsis says, "Sue's 'Nazi-hunting' mother, Doris shows up in Lima to check in on her girls. Meanwhile, Kurt makes an important decision after getting pushed to his breaking point, and Rachel and Finn take a big step."

Just few hours after the 38th Annual American Music Awards ended, rumor swirled on the web suggesting that there was something shady about Usher winning Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Justin Bieber receiving Artist of the Year. According to reports, the real winners to those coveted awards were Chris Brown and Lady GaGa.

Brown reportedly got the most votes for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, but ABC decided to give it to Usher instead either because of his absence or his last year's domestic violence issue with ex-girlfriend Rihanna. An insider from Neon Limelight revealed that "teleprompter backstage had Chris' name on it!" and "it even said he couldn't be there to accept!"