Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner reportedly spent Christmas together.
The 52-year-old Hollywood star was married to '13 Going on 30' actress Jennifer, also 52, from 2005 until 2018 and has Violet, 19, Fin, 15, as well as 12-year-old Samuel with her but despite their split, insiders have claimed that they spent the holidays together for the sake of their children.
A source told People: "Jen and Ben were all together for Christmas. It's all for the kids. Jen grew up surrounded by her family for the holidays, and she wants the same for her kids."
Following their split, Ben went on to rekindle his relationship with pop superstar Jennifer Lopez, 55, almost 20 years after they called off their engagement and married in 2022 but she filed for divorce earlier this year.
Meanwhile, 'Yes Day' star Jennifer has dated businessman John C. Miller on and off since 2018 and despite their brief split in 2020, it was thought that they got back together in 2021.
Earlier this year, Ben and his first wife volunteered at Thanksgiving Street Fair where they spent the day feeding the homeless.
An insider said: "They truly enjoy giving back to their community and cherishing quality time together as a family."
Another source claimed at the time that Jennifer wants to "include" her ex-husband in her life because the children like it when they are all together but also insisted at the time that their relationship is completely platonic.
They said: "She will continue to make sure that they spend time together as a family and include Ben. The kids enjoy when they all spend time together.
"Jen's grateful that Ben's doing well. They are friends, but that's it.."
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Dolly Parton believes humour has been a “big key” to her long-lasting marriage.
The ‘9 to 5’ hitmaker has been married to Carl Dean for 58 years and she thinks the fact they can always “find the humour”, even in the toughest of times, has helped them stay together.
She told Closer magazine: “He has a good sense of humour, as do I, and I think that has been a big key to us, because we’ve had a lot of fun and when things get really bad, we somehow manage to find the humour in it and that kind of lifts the load.
“But I think we’re also good friends. We have a lot of respect for each other and we just try to take each other as we are.
“We don’t try to change each other and make a big deal out of all the little things that some people do.”
The 78-year-old singer also believes the fact she and Carl have different interests has always given them a lot to talk about.
She added: “We just have a great life, and we’re different enough so, when we are together, we have things to talk about, because he’s interested in what I do, but that’s not his world and I’m interested in what he does, but that’s not my world, but together, it’s our world.
“We make our world work with all the things we do, and we’re just very close.”
Dolly thinks her sense of humour has also contributed to her lengthy music career.
She said: “I’ve had to have fun in this business.
“Everyone should try to develop a good sense of humour if you don’t have one, because that makes life so much easier and so much more fun.”
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Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
“More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt,” Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. “She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over.”
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood’s most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause statement to prosecutors on Pitt, but that after discussing the merits, “it was agreed by all parties that criminal charges would not be pursued.”
The document said Jolie was “personally conflicted" about supporting charges, and in a later court filing she said she opted not to push for them for the sake of the family.
A source familiar with the child services inquiry told the AP in 2016 that the child services investigation was closed without a finding of abuse.
A judge in 2019 declared Jolie and Pitt divorced and single, but the splitting of assets and child custody needed to be separately settled.
Soon after, a private judge that the two had hired to handle the case reached a decision that included equal custody of their children, but Jolie filed to have him removed from the case over an unreported conflict of interest. An appeals court agreed, removing the judge and vacating his decision. The couple had to start the process over.
During the long divorce fight, four of their children became adults, negating the need for a custody agreement for them. The only minors that remain are 16-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne. In June, one of their daughters, then known as Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, successfully petitioned to remove Pitt's name from hers.
The couple's use of the private judge — an increasingly common move among splitting celebrities in recent years — has kept the details of the divorce largely under wraps. There had been no official court actions in the case in nearly a year, and no indication that the two were near agreement.
Some elements of their disputes, however, have been revealed through a separate lawsuit filed by Pitt over Jolie's sale of her half of a French winery they owned. Pitt had wanted to buy her half of the winery, Chateau Miraval, and said she abandoned their negotiations and sold her part to the Tenute del Mondo wine group. Pitt said it was a “vindictive” and “unlawful” move that should not have been made without his consent and ruined a private space that had been a second home.
Jolie and her attorneys said that Pitt had demanded she sign a wide-ranging non-disclosure agreement about him as part of the proposed deal that was an attempt to cover up his abuse of her and the children.
The divorce agreement does not affect the winery lawsuit, where the legal battle between the two stars could continue.
Publicly, both Pitt and Jolie have been extremely tight-lipped on everything surrounding their split, despite robust promotional tours for various projects.
Pitt said in a 2017 interview with GQ that he had had a drinking problem at the time of the plane incident and the split, but had since become sober and was going to therapy. He has not defended his behavior on the family flight.
Both were among the most elite stars in film when they began dating in 2004, after co-starring as hitman-and-hitwoman spouses in “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” and remained atop the Hollywood A-list throughout their coupling. The star of “Maleficent” and “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” Jolie won an Oscar for her performance in 1999’s “Girl, Interrupted.”
Pitt, the star of “Fight Club” and “Inglourious Basterds,” thrived as both actor and producer after the split. He won his own Academy Award for 2019’s “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood,” the crowning achievement in an awards season that some in media framed as a redemption and brought major public affection for him.
Jolie kept a less visible profile in the years since the divorce, though she directed several films and appeared in several more while trying to focus on raising the children. She has very much returned to the Oscar conversation this year for her portrayal of the legendary soprano Maria Callas in “Maria.”
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Ryan Seacrest insists there is “still time” for him to find love.
The TV host, who turned 50 on 24 December, made the statement as he joined ‘Good Morning America’ on Monday (30.12.24) to discuss his 20 years fronting Dick Clark’s ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest’.
During his appearance he said there was always a “little bit of chaos” behind the scenes of the show – from unpredictable weather to performances not going according to schedule and people proposing.
He said: “You never know, but that’s the beauty of the show.”
Journalist Rebecca Jarvis, 43, chipped in: “And then you have people proposing in Times Square literally, like, ‘Let’s get married’.”
She was referring to how around one million people pack themselves into Times Square on New Year’s Eve every year, with Ryan saying there were usually a handful of proposals amid the crowd.
He added: “That’s something that’s happened almost every single year. Some of it makes TV, some of it doesn’t, but people love that moment to say, ‘Will you be with me for the rest of our lives?’”
ABC correspondent Will Reeve, 32, who proposed to longtime girlfriend Amanda Dubin in New York City in November, said: “I should have done the proposal on ‘New Year’s Eve with Ryan’.
“Amanda would have said no!”
Ryan then said: “There’s still time for me” – as Will patted him on the back.
The presenter also told his fellow broadcaster: “You’ve got this, Ryan. We won’t rush you, though.”
Ryan has been single since he broke up with model Aubrey Paige, 26, in April after their three-year relationship.
A source close to the former couple told People at the time: “After three beautiful years together, Ryan and Aubrey have mutually decided to part ways.
“They plan to stay in each other’s lives as good friends and support one another’s endeavours.”
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Simon Cowell won't make a movie about his life unless he is dying.
Although the 65-year-old television personality, entrepreneur, and record executive has lived a remarkable life, he has no intention of bringing his story to the big screen unless he is "terminally ill" as he doesn't want to upset anyone while he is still alive.
He told The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column: "I always say the best movie you can make is the week before you die.
“Then you could do everything; just tell all the stories about all the people you hate and everything else, and who cares?
“The only way I am going to make a movie is if I’m terminally ill.”
Meanwhile, Simon is renowned for his TV talent shows including 'Pop Idol', 'The X Factor', 'Britain’s Got Talent' and 'America's Got Talent' and he is excited about his latest TV venture, which will see him on the search for the nation’s next big boyband.
He said: “Fundamentally it is about casting. Every great season really depends on who turns up.
“If you have kind of average people with boring personalities, it doesn’t matter what gimmicks I throw at the show, it won’t work.
“If someone is naturally good, has got charisma, and people root for them, then you’ve got half a chance.
“So I say to everyone, look, just focus on the casting.
“You get the casting right, we got a shot.”
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Five people have reportedly been charged over Liam Payne's death, including one of his close friends.
According to respected online newspaper Infobae, Rogelio 'Roger' Nores, is among those who will face charges over the death of Liam, 31, who died in October when he plunged off the balcony of the CasaSur Palermo hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Roger has reportedly been accused of negligent homicide and while he is not in custody, he has been advised not to leave the country.
Braian Paiz, a waiter at a Buenos Aires restaurant and CasaSur employee Ezequiel Pereyra are reported to have been charged with supplying narcotics, while hotel managers Gilda Martín and Esteban Grassi have allegedly been charged with manslaughter.
Only Paiz and Pereyra are in custody but, according to Infobae, all five are said to have been summoned to appear in court.
Roger, who was a close friend of Liam and frequently travelled with him, visited the star at his hotel on the day he died and left about 40 minutes before the tragedy.
He previously told TMZ that Liam was "in good spirits and perfectly balanced" when he left and denied claims of abandoning his friend.
He said in a statement last month: "I never abandoned Liam, I went to his hotel three times that day and left 40 minutes before this happened.
"There were over 15 people at the hotel lobby chatting and joking with him when I left.
"I could have never imagined something like this would happen.
"I gave my statement to the prosecutor on October 17 as a witness and I haven't spoken to any police officer or prosecutor ever since.
"I wasn't Liam's manager. He was just my very dear friend."
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Keanu Reeves’ stolen watches have been found in Chile.
Three watches belonging to the 60-year-old actor, including a $9,000 Rolex Submariner, were reportedly taken from his Los Angeles home in late 2023 and recovered during a recent raid in Santiago.
According to CNN, the police raid was linked to a series of local robberies.
Chilean authorities said they had found valuables during raids on four houses, with at least one of the watches "belonging to a famous actor who was victim of a robbery in Los Angeles in December 2023".
The Rolex Submariner watch is engraved with Keanu's name and the words, “2021, JW4, thank you, The John Wick Five”.
He reportedly gifted Rolex Submariners to the stuntmen he worked with on 'John Wick: Chapter 4' in 2021.
CNN Chile said Chilean authorities were working with US officials on the case and this had helped them to link the recovered watches to the burglary at Keanu's home.
Police said they have arrested a 21-year-old man.
Reeves was not at home last December when the robbery took place.
Police were first alerted to a possible intruder via an anonymous tip but found no signs of entry when they arrived.
In the early hours of the following morning, police received a report of an activated alarm at the premises.
Security cameras captured individuals wearing ski masks breaking through a window and entering the house.
They stole a firearm and managed to flee the scene before police arrived.
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Linda Lavin, a Tony Award-winning stage actor who became a working class icon as a paper-hat wearing waitress on the TV sitcom “Alice,” has died. She was 87.
Lavin died in Los Angeles on Sunday of complications from recently discovered lung cancer, her representative, Bill Veloric, told The Associated Press in an email.
A success on Broadway, Lavin tried her luck in Hollywood in the mid-1970s. She was chosen to star in a new CBS sitcom based on “Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore,” the Martin Scorsese-directed film that won Ellen Burstyn an Oscar for playing the title waitress.
The title was shortened to “Alice” and Lavin become a role model for working moms as Alice Hyatt, a widowed mother with a 12-year-old son working in a roadside diner outside Phoenix. The show, with Lavin singing the theme song "There's a New Girl in Town," ran from 1976 to 1985.
The show turned “Kiss my grits” into a catchphrase and co-starred Polly Holliday as waitress Flo and Vic Tayback as the gruff owner and head chef of Mel’s Diner.
The series bounced around the CBS schedule during its first two seasons but became a hit leading into “All in the Family” on Sunday nights in October 1977. It was among primetime’s top 10 series in four of the next five seasons. Variety magazine listed it among the all-time best workplace comedies.
Lavin soon went on to win a Tony for best actress in a play for Neil Simon's “Broadway Bound” in 1987.
She was working as recently as this month promoting a new Netflix series in which she appears, “No Good Deed,” and filming a forthcoming Hulu series, “Mid-Century Modern,” according to Deadline, which first reported her death.
Lavin grew up in Portland, Maine, and moved to New York City after graduating from the College of William and Mary. She sang in nightclubs and in ensembles of shows.
Iconic producer and director Hal Prince gave Lavin her first big break while directing the Broadway musical "It's a Bird … It's a Plane … It's Superman." She went on to earn a Tony nomination in Simon's "Last of the Red Hot Lovers" in 1969 before winning 18 years later for another Simon play, "Broadway Bound."
In the mid 1970s, Lavin moved to Los Angeles. She had a recurring role on “Barney Miller” and in 1976 was chosen to star in a new CBS sitcom based on Ellen Burstyn’s Oscar-winning waitress comedy-drama, “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.”
Back on Broadway, Lavin later starred in Paul Rudnick's comedy "The New Century," had a concert show called “Songs & Confessions of a One-Time Waitress” and earned a Tony nomination in Donald Margulies’ “Collected Stories.”
“A star in every medium, but pure theatrical genius. Blissfully funny, deeply emotional, and audiences adored her. She never disappointed: I worked with her, and just watching her rehearse and build a performance was an education and the greatest joy,” Rudnick wrote on X.
Michael Kuchwara of the AP gave Lavin a rave in “Collected Stories,” writing that she “gives one of those complete, nuanced performances, capturing the woman’s intellectual vigor, her wry sense of humor and her increasing physical frailty with astonishing fidelity. And Lavin’s sense of timing is superb, whether delivering a joke or acerbically dissecting the work of her protegee.”
Lavin basked in a burst of renewed attention in her 70s, earning a Tony nomination for Nicky Silver's "The Lyons." She also starred in "Other Desert Cities" and a revival of “Follies” before they transferred to Broadway.
The AP again raved about Lavin in “The Lyons," calling her "an absolute wonder to behold as Rita Lyons, a nag of a mother with a collection of firm beliefs and eye rolls, a matriarch who is both suffocating and keeping everyone at arm’s length."
She also appeared in the film “Wanderlust" with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd, and released her first CD, "Possibilities." She played Jennifer Lopez's grandmother in "The Back-Up Plan."
When asked for guidance from up-and-coming actors, Lavin stressed one thing. "I say that what happened for me was that work brings work. As long as it wasn't morally reprehensible to me, I did it," she told the AP in 2011.
She and Steve Bakunas, an artist, musician and her third husband, converted an old automotive garage into the 50-seat Red Barn Studio Theatre in Wilmington, North Carolina.
It opened in 2007 and their productions include "Doubt" by John Patrick Shanley, "Glengarry Glen Ross" by David Mamet, "Rabbit Hole" by David Lindsay-Abaire and "The Tale of the Allergist's Wife" by Charles Busch, in which Lavin also starred on Broadway, earning a Tony nomination.
She returned to TV in 2013 in “Sean Saves the World,” starring “Will & Grace’s” Sean Hayes, a show which lasted a season. Lavin also made appearances on “Mom” and “9JKL.”
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Britney Spears is set to launch her jewellery collection in 2025.
The 43-year-old pop superstar announced plans earlier this year to create the B Tiny brand, and on Saturday (28.12.24) morning, she took to Instagram once again to tease what she has planned for next year.
She wrote on Instagram: "Obviously I have been showing spin offs of the collection B Tiny !!!! My collection is set to come sometime next year !!! "We added belly rings to it yesterday !!! Ideas and inspiration !!!"
The 'Toxic' hitmaker has taken inspiration from some bracelets that she found in Mexico but joked that those ones were too expensive for what they actually were.
She said: "These tiny exquisite bracelets were found in a deep hidden treasure spot in Mexico !!! So freaking cool !!! Psss I had to share because they inspired me but GEEZ they were like 400 dollars for each one !!! I was like …. It’s a string."
Britney – who regained control of her multimillion-dollar fortune and various aspects of her life when a conservatorship that had been governed by her family was terminated in 2021 – shot to fame in the late 1990s with '…Baby One More Time' and went on to release a further nine albums but hasn't released a new record since 'Glory' in 2016 and recently admitted thwarted rumours of a musical comeback.
She wrote on Instagram: "Just so we’re clear most of the news is trash !!! They keep saying I’m turning to random people to do a new album … I will never return to the music industry !!!
"When I write, I write for fun or I write for other people !!!
"For those of you who have read my book, there’s loads that you don’t know about me … I’ve written over 20 songs for other people the past two years !!! I’m a ghostwriter and I honestly enjoy it that way !!! (sic)"
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is said to have had a “meltdown” in prison over Christmas.
The rapper and music mogul, 55, has been locked up at the notoriously tough Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since September and is awaiting trial in 2025 on charges including sex trafficking and racketeering – all of which he strongly denies.
A source has now told The Sun he had to be taken for “observation” over the festive period as he allegedly couldn’t believe he was still behind bars for Christmas.
The insider said: “With his high-powered legal team Diddy thought he’d be out on bail by now.
“Spending the holidays behind bars was a nightmare for him. He eventually managed to calm himself down with the meditation technique he’s been using while he’s been behind bars.
“It took him a few hours of deep breathing and focusing to get out of the bad space he was in, but he finally managed it.”
Another source close to the disgraced rapper denied the claims he suffered a “meltdown”.
They told the Daily Mail the rapper is continuing to stay strong in prison.
The reports come after a legal expert said Combs’ bleak Christmas behind bars was a “reminder of the seriousness of the allegations against him”.
James Pipe, from freegrantsforfelons.org, told the Daily Star: “The stark contrast between Diddy’s past life of indulgence and his current circumstances highlights the profound consequences of legal and personal accountability.
“While the festive season might offer moments of muted cheer for some inmates, for Combs, it serves as a reminder of the seriousness of the allegations against him and the impact of his actions on others.”
It’s been widely reported Combs and his fellow inmates ate a Christmas Day meal of baked Cornish hen, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls, followed by a “holiday dessert”.
Mr Pipe added inmates might get a hot chocolate or a pastry if the facility’s budget allows.
He said the jail runs a “no frills” and “no luxury” regime.
The comments on Combs’ grim Christmas come after it was reported he has lost a huge amount of weight behind bars, according to a journalist who attended his last court proceeding.
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Beyoncé reportedly paid her dancers a huge bonus for working Christmas Day.
The singer, 43, performed for 13 minutes on the field at NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston on 25 December at the halfway point of the Ravens clash against the Texans, alongside guests Shaboozey, Post Malone and her 12-year-old daughter Blue Ivy.
And The Sun has reported the performer forked out “double” rates on her dancers as a thank you for working with her on Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day broadcast.
A source said: “Beyoncé paid her staff bonuses for working on Christmas Day. “The show was a big business deal and had to happen on Christmas Day so she paid her staff and dancers double pay to make it happen.
“She is also planning to bring some of her old dancers back into the mix for her next tour.”
The show was dubbed the ‘Beyoncé Bowl’ and was streamed live on Netflix and produced by the singer’s Parkwood Entertainment company.
It saw her sport a white cowboy hat and chaps and sing hits from her country album ‘Cowboy Carter’, which included her number one song ‘Texas Hold ’Em’.
Beyoncé – who has an estimated net worth of $600 million – was reportedly paid $20 million for her half-time performance during Netflix’s NFL Christmas Day NFL broadcast.
DailyMail.com said the figure came partly from social media deals, with “several people” claiming the huge sum was also part of a larger contract between Beyoncé and Netflix.
The Mail added it has been reported the singer inked a three-project deal with the streaming giant in 2019, which is now two-thirds done.
It said the first part was a documentary that showed her 2019 performance at Coachella, which is also said to have earned her $20 million.
Beyoncé was last on stage in October, 2023, to wrap up her ‘Renaissance World Tour’ at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Charles Shyer has died aged 83.
The acclaimed filmmaker passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on Friday (12.27.24), although the official cause of death has not yet been revealed.
In a statement given to Deadline, his family said: "It’s with an indescribably heavy heart that we share the news of our beloved father, Charles Shyer’s passing. His loss leaves an unfillable hole in our lives, but his legacy lives on through his children and the five decades of wonderful work he’s left behind.
"We honour the extraordinary life he led and know there will never be another quite like him."
The director's daughter, Hallie Meyers-Shyer, has confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Shyer battled a brief illness before he passed away.
Shyer began his career in the 1970s, writing for sitcoms like 'The Odd Couple' and 'The Partridge Family'.
Despite this, the Hollywood director ultimately became best known for writing and directing romantic-comedy movies, and he enjoyed a particularly fruitful working partnership with Nancy Meyers, whom he was married to between 1980 and 1999.
The former couple worked together on a host of hit movies, including the 1987 romantic comedy-drama film 'Baby Boom', which starred Diane Keaton, as well as 'Father of the Bride' in 1991 and 'Father of the Bride Part II' in 1995.
The pair separated in 1999, but Shyer continued to achieve significant success as a writer and director.
In 2004, for instance, he wrote, directed, and produced 'Alfie', the romantic comedy-drama film inspired by the 1966 film of the same name.
And more recently, Shyer directed the Christmas movies 'The Noel Diary' and 'Best. Christmas. Ever!', which starred the likes of Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, and Jason Biggs.
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Green Gables Daycare, Kelowna
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Green Gables Daycare, Kelowna
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Oyama Community Hall, Lake Country
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