Celebrity Gossip

[Perdita]

Jennifer Lopez has been unveiled as the newest global brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris.

In a statement, the new American Idol judge said that she had been using L'Oreal products throughout her life and was "excited" to be working with the company.

"I've always loved their sophisticated ad campaigns and am thrilled to represent a brand that embraces a woman's worth," she said.

The company's global brand president Cyril Chapuy described Lopez as "sublime, iconic and multi-talented" and said L'Oreal was "honoured" to welcome her to the family.

"Women everywhere admire not only Jennifer's beauty but also her charisma and her commitment. We are honoured to welcome her to our amazing roster of spokespeople that represents, in all its diversity, the beauty of today's woman."

Lopez was unveiled as an American Idol panelist back in September and is currently filming the Hollywood Week stage of the competition, which premieres January 19 on Fox.

[Perdita]

Elizabeth Hurley has confirmed her split from husband Arun Nayar following allegations of an affair with cricketer Shane Warne.

The Austin Powers actress took to Twitter this afternoon to clarify her marital status after The News of the World exposed her secret meetings with the Australian sportsman and their two-day break in a luxury London hotel.

She wrote: "Not a great day. For the record, my husband Arun & I separated a few months ago. Our close family & friends were aware of this."

Hurley began dating Nayar back in 2002 and married the Indian tycoon in 2007.

[Perdita]

Nicole Richie has married Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden at her famous father's Hollywood home.

The Simple Life star exchanged vows with Madden at Lionel Richie's Beverley Hills estate on Saturday after four years together.

Their two children, 14-month-old Sparrow and two-year-old Harlow, played their part in the nuptials as page boy and flower girl.

Madden's identical twin brother Benji, who is also a member of Good Charlotte, was best man.

Their winter-themed wedding was reportedly an intimate affair attended by the likes of Gwen Stefani, Samantha Ronson and Richie's godfather Quincy Jones.

An elephant named Tai is also reported to have made an appearance.

Richie rose to fame after starring in The Simple Life with Paris Hilton.

In the past few years she has branched into the fashion industry with her own accessories line, the House of Harlow, and clothing collection, Winter Kate.

Richie has also written two novels, the semi-autobiographical book The Truth About Diamonds and Priceless which was released in September.

[Perdita]

HOLLYWOOD sweethearts ZAC EFRON and VANESSA HUDGENS have split up, it emerged yesterday.

High School Musical lovers Hudgens, 22 today, and Efron, 23, have been together for more than four years and were one of Hollywood's golden couples.

Pals of the pair insisted there was no third party involved and they were "still good friends". A source said yesterday: "It just ran its course."

The couple met on the set of the hit Disney movie and were seen kissing in Hawaii just two weeks ago.

In a recent interview, Vanessa spoke of their bond. And Zac said the pair's love was "exactly how it should be".


The Sun

[Chloe O'brien]

Well that put's the USA X factor job in doubt as both were tipped to be given presenting jobs. Dermot may be in with a chance after all

[lizann]

After just two years of marriage, Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson have decided to go their separate ways, People reports. “After long and careful consideration on both our parts, we’ve decided to end our marriage,” the pair said in a joint statement. “We entered our relationship with love and it’s with love and kindness we leave it. While privacy isn’t expected, it’s certainly appreciated.” A source told People that Reynolds and Johansson separated six months ago; they wed in Vancouver in September 2008.

He is free for me now

[Perdita]

Blake Edwards, the prolific film director, producer and screenwriter who made his name with Breakfast at Tiffany's before managing, via the Pink Panther films, to create a hugely lucrative comedy franchise which jollified Hollywood for almost four decades, has died at the age of 88.


A publicist, Gene Schwam, announced yesterday that Edwards, who had been in a wheelchair for the final year and a half of his life, had died overnight due to complications of pneumonia. His wife, the actress Julie Andrews, was at his side, along with other family members.

Though he was responsible for more than 100 films and television shows – including the box office smash 10, Dudley Moore's 1979 romantic comedy with Bo Derek – Edwards will be chiefly remembered as the man responsible for perfecting the modern screwball comedy in collaboration with his friend Peter Sellers, who played Inspector Clouseau in the five original Pink Panther films of the sixties and seventies. Like many of his more commercial hits, the films were acclaimed for their brilliant dialogue and perfectly-pitched use of slapstick. Yet despite their influence, and enduring popular following, they met with a mixed critical reception and were occasionally derided by the Hollywood establishment.

Edwards was nominated just once for an Oscar, getting a nod for Best Screenplay for his 1982 film Victor Victoria. The only time he actually walked away with a gold statuette, however, was in 2004, when (as if to correct their previous oversights) the academy presented him with an honourary gong.

When he collected the award, he jokingly referred to Julie Andrews, who became his second wife in 1969: "My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, and the beautiful English broad with the incomparable soprano and promiscuous vocabulary thanks you."

Throughout his career, Edwards frequently clashed with his paymasters at the major studios, even devoting a dark comedy, 1981's S.O.B., which starred Andrews, to express his disdain for their efforts (as he saw it) to *******ise the cinematic art form.

"I was certainly getting back at some of the producers of my life," he once remarked, of the film. "Although I was a good deal less scathing than I could have been." The only reason he was able to finance S.O.B., he added, was that it followed hot on the heels of the huge commercial hit 10. "Even then [the studio] tried to sabotage it."

Not even Breakfast at Tiffany's, the 1961 cult hit, could escape being almost ruined by studio interference, he once revealed. After attending an early screening, a Paramount executive instructed him to "get rid of that ****ing song" from the film.

The piece of music was "Moon River." It was kept in after the film's star, Audrey Hepburn, informed the executive that the track would be cut "over her dead body." It went on to win an Oscar and become one of the most famous pieces of film music of all time.

A third generation film-maker, who was born in Oklahoma, Edwards began his career as a playwright and bit-part actor. At the time of his death, he was working on two Broadway musicals. One was based on the Pink Panther franchise; the other, Big Rosemary, was to be an original comedy set during Prohibition.

The Independent

[alan45]

Suzanne Shaw has revealed that she has committed to Emmerdale by moving closer to filming with her family in tow.

The actress, who plays Eve Jenson in the ITV soap, told Loose Women that she and husband Jason King had bought a farm and moved in last weekend.

"We've moved up north now," she said when discussing balancing work and family life. "Obviously committing to Emmerdale so much that we've moved to a farm! We get wake-up calls from the cows."

She quipped: "I'm just hoping that work will come to me now!"

Shaw will take centre stage during the soap's Christmas Day episode as Chas Dingle and Carl King prepare to get married.

[moonstorm]

James May hospitalised after 'Top Gear' stunt



BBCJames May was rushed to hospital after suffering severe concussion during filming on an episode of Top Gear, it has been revealed.

May fell over and hit his head on a rock while trying to pull fellow host Jeremy Clarkson's car out of a ditch as part of the show's upcoming Christmas special in Syria.

"I stood in the line of where the tow rope went taut. I told the driver to move off and became part of a giant catapult," May told The Sun.

Clarkson described the incident as "very worrying", particularly since there was "a lot of blood". May required stitches for his head wound and was put on a drip at a local hospital.

"They gave me a brain scan but to be honest I think the Syrians were just excited to be able to use their new scanner," May quipped.

The 47-year-old was quick to downplay comparisons between his injury and the dragster crash that caused brain damage to co-host Richard Hammond in 2006.

"I don't want to pretend I had an accident as bad as Hammond," May said. "He bashed his head on the whole of Yorkshire, I just hit mine on a stone."

The Top Gear Middle East special airs on December 26 at 8pm on BBC2.

[Perdita]

Elton John and David Furnish have welcomed their first child, it has been revealed.

The couple became parents to a baby boy named Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, born via surrogacy, on Christmas Day, reports Us Weekly.

"We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment," they said in a statement.

"Zachary is healthy and doing really well, and we are very proud and happy parents."

John and Furnish - who married in 2005 - insisted that they will not discuss details surrounding the surrogacy.