Entertainment News

Tributes were paid to legendary actor Dame Diana Rigg, following her passing.

Best known for her roles in ‘The Avengers’, ‘Game of Thrones’ and the Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, she died of cancer, which was diagnosed in March.

Her acting career on stage and screen stretched out over more than 60 years. She first found fame in the mid-’60s when she was cast in ‘The Avengers’ as secret agent Emma Peel, an iconic character who was embraced as a style icon and a feminist role model. After quitting the series in 1968, she starred opposite George Lazenby in the 1969 Bond film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, in which she played 007’s wife, Countess Teresa di Vicenzo.

She later won a BAFTA TV Award for her performance as a difficult mother-in-law in the 1989 miniseries ‘Mother Love’ and an Emmy Award for her portrayal of Mrs Danvers in a 1997 adaptation of Daphne Du Maurier‘s ‘Rebecca’.

For her more recent role as cunning matriarch Olyenna Tyrell in ‘Game of Thrones’ she earned four Emmy nominations, taking her career tally to nine.

She also appeared opposite her daughter Rachael Stirling in the 2013 Doctor Who episode ‘The Crimson Horror’.  

Her final movie role came in Edgar Wright‘s upcoming psychological horror movie ‘Last Night In Soho’, which is set for release in 2021.

She was also a highly revered stage actress who won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in a 1994 Broadway production of the Ancient Greek tragedy ‘Medea’. That same year, she was made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to drama.

The Oscar-winning screenwriter and playwright Sir Tom Stoppard shared a heartfelt tribute to her, saying: “For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper.

“She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous.”

Passed away peacefully, she was 82.

British superstar Stormzy has dedicated the video for his song Superheroes to Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.

The multi-award winner said the late actor, who recently died after a lengthy battle with cancer, would be "forever a superhero in our hearts" in a caption at the end of the promo.

Introducing the video, the rapper told fans: "You are a superhero in your own right, and don't ever forget that."

The animated video includes references to Black Lives Matter as well as fellow rappers Little Simz and Dave.

The track's lyrics also mention singer Nina Simone and Noughts and Crosses author Malorie Blackman.

On the track, taken from his 2019 album Heavy Is the Head, he sends a message of encouragement to "young black kings" and "young Black Queens" - ordinary young people who may be struggling but are heroes in their own lives.

In his introduction, Stormzy said the track was inspired by his realisation that role models had been all around him growing up.

He said: "We're all superheroes. As much as we come from where we come from, we might be disadvantaged, we might have so many obstacles in front of us, you are a superhero in your own right, and don't ever forget that. Those little skills that we have, those big skills that we have, those talents, those things that often go ignored, that makes you a superhero..

"I wanted to make this video to basically inspire you guys, to let you know that the sky is the limit, to let you know that all those things inside of you make you incredible."

The video, which was directed by Taz Tron Delix, was shown at schools in London, Glasgow, Dublin and Manchester.

Boseman played Marvel's first Black superhero and his death prompted a deluge of tributes from his fellow actors plus politicians and many others around the world.

Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o wrote a stirring tribute to her late Black Panther co-star Chadwick Boseman, calling him a man whose power will ”reverberate for generations”.

She went on: “I write these words from a place of hopelessness, to honour a man who had great hope.

“The news of his passing is a punch to my gut every morning. His power lives on and will reverberate for generations to come."

Photo by Frank Schwichtenberg under CreativeCommons (CC)

Sampad South Asian Arts and Heritage, one of the UK’s leading arts development agencies, announces the launch of MY CITY, MY HOME, a major, specially commissioned, international writing competition for women and girls from diverse communities in Birmingham (UK), Bangladesh and Pakistan.

MY CITY, MY HOME is part of Transforming Narratives, a ground-breaking three- year project to establish Birmingham as a global centre for contemporary arts from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

MY CITY, MY HOME will reach out to emerging female writers from all three locations resulting in a publication of selected works, together with live readings at events in the UK and other countries.

Piali Ray OBE., Director of Sampad said: “The identity and role of women is as diverse across cities and countries as is 21st century society. Cities are a melting pot of cosmopolitan cultures yet, there is a distinctiveness and roots that connect to the past.

“By launching MY CITY, MY HOME in what is Sampad’s 30th anniversary year, we want to give women and girls the chance to tell their story. We need to hear it from them.”

The competition is open to women and girls aged 16 and over and can be a response to, or a reflection on the phrase MY CITY, MY HOME. Run online, women can enter a poem, short-story, or other prose.  A maximum of two pieces of work can be entered and will be accepted in English, Urdu, and Bangla languages.

MY CITY, MY HOME will work with Project Associates in Pakistan and Bangladesh connecting online with diverse groups of women and girls in their countries and supporting them to participate.

Sophina Jagot, Transforming Narratives Project Manager added: “The Transforming Narratives programme is all about making connections between artists and creative practitioners in Birmingham, Bangladesh and Pakistan, and it seemed to us now more than ever we needed to support the cultural sector in making those connections.

“Sampad’s MY CITY, MY HOME promises to make and develop many new connections with groups of women and girls creating opportunities for them to participate and create for themselves. We look forward to hearing their stories.”.

Closing date for entries is 30 December 2020. Winners will be informed between 22-26 February 2021 and will each receive £200.00. Publication of winning entries and further selected pieces will be launched in Birmingham, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in summer 2021.

Supported by Arts Council England, Birmingham City Council, British Council and Transforming Narratives, MY CITY, MY HOME, is part of Sampad’s Sakshi (meaning Witness in Hindi) strand launched in 2018. Running until 2022 Sakshi will deliver a series of projects which focus on girls and women, to involve them in creative projects and to get their voices heard through the arts.

The death Ronald Bell is still reverberating as one of the founder members of 1970s and 1980s funk bands Kool & the Gang remains one of the era's most popular and influential soul and funk bands.

After starting the band with his brother Robert "Kool" Bell in 1964, they crated some massive worldwide hits which included Ladies' Night, Get Down On It and Celebration (as musical director, he co-wrote all of their biggest hits).

Their music also featured in several films including Saturday Night Fever, for which they received a Grammy in 1978, and Pulp Fiction.

Bell was born and raised in Ohio, and picked up the music bug from his father, a professional boxer who was a close friend of jazz musicians Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis.

As a leading band member their career was split into two distinct halves. In the early 70s, they scored US hits with the foot-stomping funk of songs like Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging. Then, with the addition of vocalist James ‘JT’ Taylor in 1979, they morphed into a hit-making R&B band, scoring the biggest commercial success of their career as they reached their 20th anniversary.

A self-taught saxophonist and singer, he founded the group in New Jersey with Robert and five school friends - Dennis Thomas, Robert Mickens, Charles Smith, George Brown and Ricky West.

"I used to beat paint cans like bongos”, he once said “and depending on how much paint was inside, this would determine the tone of the sounds we made”.

The first incarnation of Kool & The Gang formed in 1964, but they cycled through several names - including Jazziacs, The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, the Jazz Birds and Kool & the Flames before settling on their final moniker in 1969. Along the way, they combined their love of jazz with the gritty rhythms of street funk, creating a sound that would lead to their success in the 1970s.

He said: "We used to play a lot of percussion in the streets in the 60s, go to the park and start beating on drums and stuff in the street".

On forming the band, he recalled: "You had a hard time trying to get us to play R&B.

"We were die-hard jazz musicians. We're not stooping to that".

The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015 for their contribution to the world of entertainment, and were inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 2018.

Bell died at his home in the US Virgin Islands with his wife by his side, his publicist said.

The cause of death was not given.

He was 68.

It was his "favourite song" from the band's extensive back catalogue, he told the Reuters news agency in 2008.

"I had no clue, you know," he said. "I was clueless, thinking that that was going to be a hit. I had no idea.

"But after all these years, there are times at the end of the show when I see all of these people singing a song, and after all of an hour and a half, you ask them to jump up and down and they still jump up and down. That's kind of overwhelming for me."

.

Unable to afford drums, he and his brother taught themselves to play on makeshift instruments.

After the family moved to New Jersey in his teens, Bell's mother bought him a real set of bongos and he began to teach himself bass guitar, borrowing an instrument from the brother of his future bandmate Robert "Spike" Mickens.

 Bell told Rolling Stone.

Their career was split into two distinct halves. In the early 70s, they scored US hits with the foot-stomping funk of songs like Jungle Boogie and Hollywood Swinging. Then, with the addition of vocalist James "JT" Taylor in 1979, they morphed into a hit-making R&B band, scoring the biggest commercial success of their career as they reached their 20th anniversary.

As musical director, Bell co-wrote all of their biggest hits, including the wedding disco classic Celebration.

It was his "favourite song" from the band's extensive back catalogue, he told the Reuters news agency in 2008.

"I had no clue, you know," he said. "I was clueless, thinking that that was going to be a hit. I had no idea.

"But after all these years, there are times at the end of the show when I see all of these people singing a song, and after all of an hour and a half, you ask them to jump up and down and they still jump up and down. That's kind of overwhelming for me."

The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2015 for their contribution to the world of entertainment, and were inducted into the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 2018.

Too poor for drums

Bell was born and raised in Ohio, and picked up the music bug from his father, a professional boxer who was a close friend of jazz musicians Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis.

Unable to afford drums, he and his brother taught themselves to play on makeshift instruments.

"I used to beat paint cans like bongos, and depending on how much paint was inside, this would determine the tone of the sounds we made," he later recalled.

After the family moved to New Jersey in his teens, Bell's mother bought him a real set of bongos and he began to teach himself bass guitar, borrowing an instrument from the brother of his future bandmate Robert "Spike" Mickens.

'Die-hard jazz musicians'

The first incarnation of Kool & The Gang formed in 1964, but they cycled through several names - including Jazziacs, The New Dimensions, The Soul Town Band, the Jazz Birds and Kool & the Flames before settling on their final moniker in 1969.

Along the way, they combined their love of jazz with the gritty rhythms of street funk, creating a sound that would lead to their success in the 1970s.

"We used to play a lot of percussion in the streets in the 60s, go to the park and start beating on drums and stuff in the street," Bell told Rolling Stone.

"You had a hard time trying to get us to play R&B," he added. "We were die-hard jazz musicians. We're not stooping to that."

Possibly their most enduring hit is Celebration, which was written after Bell picked up a hotel room Bible.

"I was reading the scripture about where God called the angels together, and made an announcement that he was going to create this being," he told Songwriter Universe.

"He gathered the angels together and they said, 'We don't know nothin', but we just celebrate you, God - we celebrate and praise you.'"

"And I thought, I'm going to write a song about that, [with the line] 'Everyone around the world…Come on!'

"That's the intent... it was actually written for mankind."

Report

The group found a new generation of fans in the 80s and 90s as their music was sampled in a raft of pop and hip-hop songs.

Jungle Boogie's horn riff appears in Luniz's I Got 5 On It; Summer Madness formed the basis of Summertime by DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince; and the syncopated rhythms of Jungle Jazz appear on dozens of tracks, from MARRS's Pump Up The Volume to Jade's Don't Walk Away.

When Public Enemy sampled three separate Kool & The Gang songs for Fear of a Black Planet, Bell voiced his approval.

"After Public Enemy, I was all in [with hip-hop]," he told Rolling Stone in 2015. "The music was all new to me. I sat and listened to Fear of a Black Planet and was thrilled. I thought that was amazing.

"You can practically hear [drummer] George [Brown] playing that break beat. You can hear our music in the background. You know it was compound and compact, but you can hear Kool & the Gang music in all that hip-hop."

'Still relevant'

The rise of hip-hop and the departure of Taylor in 1989 effectively ended Kool & The Gang's presence on the charts, but Bell continued to record and tour with the group as a legacy act in the 1990s and 2000s.

At the time of his death, he was working on a solo album called Kool Baby Brotha Band, as well as a series of animations about the band's childhood and career.

In an interview with Billboard last year, he said he felt grateful to have had a career in music.

"And for it to be this long," he added. "For me, I'm most grateful for that, to still be relevant since [we were] 19."

The musician is survived by his wife Tia Sinclair Bell and 10 children; as well as his brother Robert and three other siblings. The family will hold a private funeral service, and have asked that fans donate to the children's charity the Boys and Girls Club of America.

BBC Two has commissioned Saved and Remade (20x30’, w/t) from Red Sky Productions, presented by Sabrina Grant.

Saved and Remade (w/t) brings together the multiple skills of a team of expert craftspeople to help solve viewers’ conundrums of what to do with treasured but purposeless items. Host Sabrina Grant, herself no slouch in the upcycling department, will be helping contributors choose which of the experts has the vision and ability to convert objects that have meaning but are gathering dust, into items can take pride of place in their lives. The transformation from precious but purposeless will grant these pieces a new lease of life. The experts will respect the sentimental significance of each of the items brought in but will bring about incredible transformations that will be a fitting match for their owners.

Sabrina Grant says, “I’m super excited to front this brand new BBC Two series that creatively re-purposes and brings a new lease of life to our guests’ treasures. I can’t wait to share the magic of our transformations with you.” 

Executive Producer Jane Rogerson adds: “We’re thrilled to be working with Sabrina, and indeed all of our crafts people on this exciting new format for BBC Two.  We cannot wait for everyone to see what the unused but much-loved pianos, cars, books and many other items that we all have in lofts and cupboard will become with the skills and imagination of our team of craftspeople.  Prepare to be surprised and delighted!”

The Executive Producer for Red Sky Productions is Jane Rogerson, with Kim Rossiter as Series Producer. The series was commissioned by Helen Munson for the BBC.

The greenlight for Saved and Remade follows other recent commissions including Autumn at Jimmy’s Farm (Channel 4), Socially Distant with Susan Calman (BBC Scotland) and Jimmy’s Big Bee Rescue (Channel 4)

To apply to take part
​
Get in touch telling us:
- Your name, age, location and contact number
- Some info about your item; what it is, why it's important to you and why you want to transform it
- Please also send photos of your item
 
Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 0141 343 7782
Applicants must be aged 18 or over and be a UK resident.

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced the extension of its popular pop-up programme of outdoor performances to run throughout September in the Dell Gardens, Stratford-upon-Avon.
 
Running until the end of September and sponsored by Darwin Escapes, RSC Snapshots will take place from Friday to Sunday for 45 minutes at 1pm and 3pm each day.

These free, high-energy, no-frills performances will be different each week, taking inspiration from both well-known Shakespearean texts and the works of some of the most promising new writers of today.

The performances will be delivered by actors from the RSC’s postponed productions of ‘The Winter's Tale’ and ‘The Comedy of Errors’ and will be directed and curated by a different company member each week. Audiences will be asked to make a donation, if they can, to support the Keep Your RSC campaign.

Featuring a mixture of socially-distanced speeches and scenes from Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, plus a selection of exciting new works and contemporary pieces, the performances are the perfect re-introduction to live theatre and are suitable for theatre enthusiasts, newcomers and Stratford day-trippers too.

Performances will be first come, first served, with space for up to eight household groups (maximum 6 people each), plus some standing spaces.

Friday 7 to Sunday 9 September - RSC Deputy Artistic Director, Erica Whyman (who was due to direct the RSC’s postponed production of ‘The Winter’s Tale’ this Autumn) will join forces with Assistant Director Aaron Parsons to curate ‘The Truth and Nothing but the Truth; an epic yet intimate celebration of truth and self-hood combining well-loved extracts from Shakespeare with excerpts from a selection of new works produced by the RSC including Can Dundar’s #wearearrested, Anders Lustgarten’s ‘The Seven Acts of Mercy’ and Alice Birch’s implosive ‘Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again’ among others.

Friday 11 to Sunday 13 September - This will be followed by a celebration of music, poetry, songs and sketches from 11 to 13 September as members of the RSC acting company gather for an open-mic afternoon with a difference.

Friday 18 – Sunday 20 September - Hal Chambers – Assistant Director of the RSC’s postponed production of ‘The Comedy of Errors’ – invites audiences to revel in the royal history of Kings and Queens past.

Friday 25 – Sunday 27 September - RSC actors Kemi Bo-Jacobs and Assad Zaman will curate a celebration of new writing produced under lockdown to wrap up RSC Snapshots.

RSC Artistic Director, Gregory Doran, said: “Despite our theatres being closed for full productions until 2021, our acting company continue to work on events and activity, including our programme of outdoor Shakespeare in Stratford, which has proved incredibly popular with audiences throughout August. Whilst we continue to do everything we can to bring our buildings back to life as soon as possible, we are pleased to announce the continuation of our outdoor performance throughout September.

“This month’s programme will see extracts from Shakespeare’s plays feature alongside a selection of exciting new works by the playwrights of today. I am delighted to see Stratford audiences embracing this unique programme of socially-distanced, outdoor theatre and look forward to a time when we can welcome them back to our buildings to share the experience of live theatre with them.”

The RSC has also announced that visitors can continue to take advantage of a daily takeaway service from the Riverside Cafe throughout September, which is open from 10am to 4pm daily. Customers are asked that they observe social distancing throughout their visit, using the markings on the pavement and payment is by contactless card only.

Comedian Mo Gilligan and radio host Julie Adenuga will be hotising this year's Rated Awards which will be taking place online on September 9, and will feature performances from Kano, Dizzee Rascal, George The Poet and M Huncho.

The awards, started by UK rap outlet GRM Daily, are back for the first time since Young Spray was stabbed at the 2018 awards show in London.

Stormzy and Aitch are this year's most-nominated artists, with four each. They're both nominated in the Male Artist, Track of the Year, Video of the Year and Album of the Year categories.

The male-dominated nominees span 10 categories and include J Hus, AJ Tracey, Headie One, Kano and Krept & Konan.

They were voted for by GRM Daily readers in an online poll in July and August.
Darkoo is the only female artist on the 10-strong track of the year shortlist for Gangsta (featuring One Acen).

All of the nominees in the album, mixtape and video of the year categories are male.

Two of the ten nominees in the personality of the year category are female - the Receipts podcast (Audrey Indome, Tolani Shoneye and Milena Sanchez) and Zeze Millz.

The likes of Ms Banks, Little Simz, Shaybo and Stefflon Don are nominated for female artist of the year - while half of the nominees for radio DJ of the year are women.

Winners in 2018 included Nines for album of the year, AJ Tracey ft. Not3s for track of the year and Not3s for artist of the year. Julie and Mo hosted that year's ceremony too.

Internationally renowned DJ Erick Morillo was announced dead after being found at a property in Miami Beach, in Florida.

Miami Police officer Ernesto Rodriguez said: "We received a 911 call this morning at 10.42am to 5660 La Gorce Drive.

"Detectives are currently on scene and in the preliminary stages of the investigation."

Made famous for his hit 1993 classic worldwide hit ‘I Like To Move It,’ the New York-born veteran DJ’s death comes a month after he was reportedly arrested and charged with sexual battery on a woman.

The alleged incident is said to have happened at Morillo’s home in Miami Beach in December 2019.

His 1993 hit, released under the name Reel 2 Real, has stood the test of time, featuring in adverts, films and as a ringtone over the years.

He was 49.

Ed Sheeran and his wife Cherry Seaborn have announced the birth of their first child - a daughter named Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran.

The multi-award winning superstar said the couple were on "cloud nine" after their daughter's arrival before returning to Instagram for the first time this year to share the news and thank the "amazing delivery team".

He added: "We are completely in love with her."

"Ello! A quick message from me as I have some personal news that I wanted to share with you," Sheeran said in his Instagram post.

"Last week, with the help of an amazing delivery team, Cherry gave birth to our beautiful and healthy daughter - Lyra Antarctica Seaborn Sheeran.

"We are completely in love with her. Both mum and baby are doing amazing and we are on cloud nine over here. We hope that you can respect our privacy at this time.

Lots of love and I'll see you when it's time to come back, Ed x"

Reading and Leeds Festival will be back next year with six headliners split across two main stages in each site. The event, which sees acts rotate between Reading and Leeds, had been due to happen last weekend but was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Now 2021's headliners will be Stormzy, Liam Gallagher, Post Malone, Catfish And The Bottlemen, Disclosure and Queens Of The Stone Age.

Up to 200,000 fans are expected at next year's events - from 27 to 29 August. The head of the event's promoters Festival Republic, Melvin Benn, said it was their "most epic plan yet".

"Two main stages, six headliners, the best line up of acts 2021 will see and 200,000 fans are going to celebrate the best music," he added.

The event, regarded by many live music fans as second only to Glastonbury in the annual UK music calendar, will also include AJ Tracey, Doja Cat, Lewis Capaldi, Mabel and Two Door Cinema Club, along with rappers Ashnikko, DaBaby and Fever 333.

Rapper Stormzy and former Oasis frontman Gallagher had been due to headline the 2020 events - along with rock band Rage Against The Machine - and the organisers were able to retain the services of both British superstars.

Gallagher said: "Yes Brothers and Sisters, I come bearing good news...Yours Truly is headlining Reading & Leeds 2021. C'MON YOU KNOW. LG"

Catfish And The Bottlemen, who will headline the festival for the first time, told BBC Radio 1 it was a "huge honour" to have been asked to top the bill.

"We've always had it in the back of our minds since we first played the BBC Introducing stage [in 2013]," the band's frontman Van McCann said.

"To be able to come back now and have that slot, it's a big one. We'll probably turn up with a few new songs."

The festival will still take place at the usual venues - Richfield Avenue in Reading and Bramham Park in Leeds. Tickets bought for this summer will remain valid, while refunds will also be available, organisers have said.

Reading and Leeds are both among the longest-running and largest music events in Britain with Reading having a capacity audience of 105,000 music fans, while Leeds can take 75,000.

The Reading Festival itself dates back to the the 1960s, and used to be best-known as a rock festival, but over the years it has included a more diverse line-up and added Leeds as a second site in 1999.

Hollywood superstar Chad Boseman, was best known for playing ‘Black Panther’ in the hit Marvel superhero franchise after coming to prominence playing real-life figures - baseball great Jackie Robinson in the film ‘42’, and soul singer James Brown in ‘Get on Up’. It will, though, be as the titular ‘Black Panther’ in the blockbuster 2018 film he will be best remembered.

He starred as the ruler of Wakanda, a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology on earth.

As well as winning critical praise and taking more than $1.3 billion (£973m) at cinemas worldwide, the film was widely seen as a cultural milestone for having a largely Black cast and a Black director, Ryan Coogler.

South Carolina-born Boseman said last year that the film changed what it means to be "Young, Gifted and Black".

Black Panther was the first superhero film to get a nomination for best picture at the Oscars.
The news has left fans and the film world stunned. Get Out director Jordan Peele, said it was "a crushing blow".

"A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much," his family said in the statement.

"From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more - all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. It was the honour of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther."

Tributes pouring in for the star, including from actor and fellow Marvel star Mark Ruffalo. Actor Dwayne Johnson tweeted: ‘Thank you for shining your light and sharing your talent with the world.

‘My love and strength to your family’.

Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris also posted her tribute to the star.

The hashtag #WakandaForever has been trending since.

Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer four years ago but had not made the information public.

He was 43.

The multi-award winning Colourful Radio launches on DAB across London from Monday 31 August 2020.

The pioneering online radio station will now broadcast across greater London, as far North as Luton to Guildford in the South, Slough in the West and Maidstone in the East on Global’s capacity on the London 3 DAB Multiplex.

Founder Kofi Kusitor believes that this is a significant time in the African/Caribbean community to build wholly black-owned, operated and targeted public debate.

Kusitor said: "For over 18 years, Colourful has taken a unique approach to celebrating the culture, music and entrepreneurialism of the African diaspora and the need has never been greater. We are delighted that our friends at Global are facilitating this chapter in Colourful's journey."

"Launching on DAB for Carnival Monday is no accident,” Kusitor adds. “Culturally diverse London benefits significantly from the Notting Hill Carnival. Colourful has always been ‘For the Culture’ and we’re dedicating the day to non-stop Carnival Vibes."
To listen to Colourful, tune your DAB set on Monday 31 August, visit colourfulradio.com or your favourite streaming apps.

Radio presenters DJ Ace and Remel London are to host the digital event for this year's Notting Hill Carnival.

For the first time in its 54-year history, the celebrations are set to be held online after the usual live event in west London was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Four channels will stream performances and entertainment over the bank holiday weekend from 29 August. It will start with a live countdown on the large screen at Piccadilly Circus.

The event is traditionally held in Notting Hill, Westbourne Park and parts of Kensington and has taken place annually since since 1966. But in May the carnival joined a list of summer calendar events to have been postponed, including the Glastonbury Festival and the Tokyo Olympics. because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spotify will dedicate a microsite highlighting the importance of carnival culture in the UK later in August, organisers previously said.

BBC Radio 1xtra's DJ Ace and Capital Xtra's Remel London will be presenting on the main stage channel.

Shayna Marie and Yinka, also of Capital Xtra, will present on the sound system channel alongside musician Ras Kwame.

Other presenters include BBC Radio London's Aurie Styla and Claire Clottey, as well as DJ Martin Jay.

Bruno Tonioli will not be behind the Strictly Come Dancing judges' desk for some of this year's series, while he takes part in the US version.

The impassioned Italian usually appears on both Dancing With The Stars and the BBC show, flying back and forth. But that's not possible this year. He won't be replaced on the UK panel.

The BBC said Tonioli would still "be involved remotely" in the Sunday results shows and then return full time "towards the end of the series".

This year's series will be will be "slightly" shorter than usual due to the coronavirus pandemic, the broadcaster has said. It normally begins in September and ends in mid-December. Its run largely overlaps with Dancing With The Stars, which normally ends in late November.

The BBC hasn't said how long this series will be, or how long Tonioli will be away. The timing of his return is likely to depend on the transmission dates of Dancing With The Stars and any quarantine requirements.

Previously, Tonioli has commuted between the shows every week. However, the current rules say anyone flying from the US to the UK and vice versa must self-isolate for two weeks. The BBC also didn't give any details of how he would take part in the results shows remotely.

In a statement, Tonioli said: "I absolutely adore being part of Strictly and can't wait to see what incredible dancing this year has in store.

"Lockdown has resulted in me being in LA for the foreseeable, but I'm excited to be involved as much as I possibly can."

Executive producer Sarah James said: "I'm overjoyed that we've found a way for Bruno to be part of this year's Strictly.

"His passion and enthusiasm are such a big part of the show, I'm thrilled we can continue to deliver that to audiences this year."

In the past, the choreographer has usually missed one week of Strictly every series, to give him a mid-season break from travelling. In recent years, he has been replaced on the judging panel during his week off by The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star Alfonso Ribeiro.

Tonioli's fellow UK judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood will all return.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) have announced they are embarking on a creative partnership to work on new shows together, starting with a ballet inspired by social distancing.

The two companies have joined forces to work together and develop dance productions for Birmingham audiences and help revive the city’s cultural life following lockdown.

It is the creation of the companies’ new artistic leaders, Sean Foley at Birmingham Rep, and Carlos Acosta at BRB, both of whom joined their respective organisations within the past year.

Acosta said: “I hoped the cross-sector collaboration would maximise our different creative networks and represented a shared vision to making Birmingham the greatest city in the arts".

The partnership will begin with four shows staged for live audiences at the Birmingham Rep in October. These will include the premiere of a new ballet by Will Tuckett, Lazuli Sky, which is inspired by and uses social distancing.

Of the plans Foley said: "This is the beginning of an exciting partnership that will encompass full-scale productions, and new ways to create audiences together. Combining the Rep’s own history with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s reputation for world-class ballet gives us both hope that we can help establish Birmingham as the very best city for theatre, for dance and the creative arts.

"The arts must find new and inventive ways to collaborate and create new works. The new collaboration will deliver excitement and artistic excellence for the people of Birmingham and wider afield - both nationally, and internationally".

Lazuli Sky will be part of a triple bill of ballet, with music by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, running from October 22 to 24 which will also include the neo-classical Our Waltzes by Vicente Nebrada and solo piece Liebestod, by Valery Panov.

Birmingham Rep and BRB are also developing a new work for 2021 entitled City of a Thousand Trades, which will be part of a season celebrating 30 years since BRB moved from London to Birmingham.

The one-act ballet, inspired by the stories of Birmingham and is residents, is due to premiere next May.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) have announced they are embarking on a creative partnership to work on new shows together, starting with a ballet inspired by social distancing.

The two companies have joined forces to work together and develop dance productions for Birmingham audiences and help revive the city’s cultural life following lockdown.

It is the creation of the companies’ new artistic leaders, Sean Foley at Birmingham Rep, and Carlos Acosta at BRB, both of whom joined their respective organisations within the past year.

Acosta said: “I hoped the cross-sector collaboration would maximise our different creative networks and represented a shared vision to making Birmingham the greatest city in the arts".

The partnership will begin with four shows staged for live audiences at the Birmingham Rep in October. These will include the premiere of a new ballet by Will Tuckett, Lazuli Sky, which is inspired by and uses social distancing.

Of the plans Foley said: "This is the beginning of an exciting partnership that will encompass full-scale productions, and new ways to create audiences together. Combining the Rep’s own history with Birmingham Royal Ballet’s reputation for world-class ballet gives us both hope that we can help establish Birmingham as the very best city for theatre, for dance and the creative arts.

"The arts must find new and inventive ways to collaborate and create new works. The new collaboration will deliver excitement and artistic excellence for the people of Birmingham and wider afield - both nationally, and internationally".

Lazuli Sky will be part of a triple bill of ballet, with music by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, running from October 22 to 24 which will also include the neo-classical Our Waltzes by Vicente Nebrada and solo piece Liebestod, by Valery Panov.

Birmingham Rep and BRB are also developing a new work for 2021 entitled City of a Thousand Trades, which will be part of a season celebrating 30 years since BRB moved from London to Birmingham.

The one-act ballet, inspired by the stories of Birmingham and is residents, is due to premiere next May.