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Stars: Simone Kessell, Andrew Howard, Rosie Day, Rachel Adedeji, Joseph Millson, Daphne Cheung | Written by Mark Shea Price | Directed by James Bamford

Somebody seems to have a lot of faith in director James Bamford. After years of working as a stuntman and directing episodes of mostly DC Comics-related TV shows, Hard Home is his fourth film to see release this year. The fact that the previous three, Air Force One Down, Jade, and Shadow Land left a lot to be desired is, of course, another matter.

Here he’s working from a script by Mark Shea Price, whose previous credits consist of shorts such as The Mayans Were Right and Raised by Fish. It opens with Mary jogging through the woods and attracting the attention of a Polaroid-wielding psycho when she stops to check out an old cemetery.

He shrugs off being maced, but just as he’s about to kill her,...

"Make him pay." Paramount Movies / Republic Pictures have revealed the official trailer for a very cheesy revenge thriller called Hard Home, arriving to watch in June this summer. This is skipping theaters and heading straight to VOD to catch at home if anyone cares. A mother who is deeply saddened by a loss lures her daughter’s killer into her smart home in order to take revenge, and gets involved in a distorted cat-and-mouse game where life and death are at stake. Simone Kessell stars in this action-packed revenge-thriller, another one involving one of these "high-tech homes" that has tons of contraptions. In addition to Kessell, this also stars Joseph Millson, Rachel Adedeji, Daphne Cheung, Rosie Day, and Andrew Howard. Should be no surprise that this looks terrible - not even worth a rental. // Continue Reading ›...

“Hard Home” is a new thriller directed by James Bamford, starring Simone Kessell, Joseph Millson, Rachel Adedeji, Daphne Cheung, Rosie Day and Andrew Howard available June 24, 2024 on digital platforms:

“…after the death of her daughter, a woman turns her high-tech home into a trap for the killer, initiating a deadly cat-and-mouse game where every move can be fatal…”

Click the images to enlarge…

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Rebel Wilson wears a red, lacey dress while attending the UK premiere of her movie The Almond and the Seahorse at Vue West End on Tuesday (April 30) in London.

The 44-year-old actress was joined by co-stars Celyn Jones, Meera Syal, Rachel Adedeji and Ruth Madeley at the event.

If you didn’t know, the movie is already out in the US and is currently available to stream on Hulu.

While doing press in the UK this week, Rebel shared a big update on a potential fourth Pitch Perfect movie!

Keep reading to find out more…

“Hopefully there’s a fourth one in the works,” she told BBC Radio 2. “There is one being developed. I know we’re older now, so I don’t know exactly what the storyline’s going to be.”

“I guess they’ve got to get the script right first, which is the age-old dilemma,” she added.

Exclusive: Big Deal Films and A24’s Dreaming Whilst Black, one of the buzziest British comedies of 2023, has been greenlit for a second season by the BBC and Showtime.

Adjani Salmon’s comedy took years to get from web series to screen but was picked up by A24 and then Showtime last year and has been catapulted, garnering strong ratings and critical acclaim. The season will premiere in the U.S. on the Paramount+ with Showtime streaming tile, on linear on Paramount+ with Showtime and in the UK on BBC Three and iPlayer. It continues to be co-produced by Big Deal in creative collaboration with A24, and A24 distributes globally.

Dreaming follows Kwabena, played by Salmon, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step to achieving his dream of creating a TV show. Season 1 ended with Kwabena showing his new movie project to friends and family,...

Death In Paradise returns to our screens in February, and the BBC have released plot and cast details.

Death In Paradise has been one of the BBC’s most successful dramas in recent years. Created by Robert Thorogood in 2011, the show’s thirteenth series is about to hit our screens. It has seen Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal O’Hanlon and current detective Ralf Little solve a remarkably high number of murders for such a small Caribbean island.

Last year, Marshall’s character Humphrey Goodman starred in spin-off Beyond Paradise, which paired him with Not Going Out star Sally Bretton and relocated the action to Cornwall. Proving popular with viewers, it recently returned for a Christmas special and a second series will be broadcast this year.

A further spin off, entitled Return to Paradise was announced last year, with action taking place in Australia.

Death In Paradise itself is back for a new series,...

Showtime’s Dreaming Whilst Black is not the story of its own making, but it kind of feels like it could be. Described as being “loosely inspired by real-life events,” the comedy follows Kwabena (co-creator Adjani Salmon), whom we find toiling away at a dreary office job while dreaming (figuratively and literally; he’s napping on the clock) of being a filmmaker.

But the road to making it is a rocky one for any novice — and, as the title hints, even more so for Black artists trying to forge ahead in an industry still dominated by white people. That Dreaming Whilst Black exists at all feels like a victory after watching Kwabena struggle to realize his vision amid financial troubles, unhelpful advice and skeptical film execs. That it comes blessed with such an observant eye and such a confident comic voice is cause for celebration.

Talent, Kwabena has in spades...

The camera is rolling on Kwabena, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job, and now, United States audiences will get to follow along on the path toward his dreams when the hit British dramedy “Dreaming Whilst Black” comes across the pond. The six-episode series, co-written by and starring Adjani Salmon, will make its streaming debut on Paramount+ with Showtime on Friday, Sept. 8, followed by its linear debut on Showtime this Sunday, Sept. 10 at 10 p.m. Et. You can watch with a subscription to Paramount Plus.

How to Watch 'Dreaming Whilst Black' When: Friday, September 8, 2023 Where: Paramount Plus Stream: Watch with a subscription to Paramount Plus. Save $20 Now$5.99+ / month paramountplus.com

For a Limited Time, Get 1 Month of Paramount+ With Code: Lioness

About 'Dreaming Whilst Black'

Adapted from the web series of the same name, “Dreaming Whilst Black” reunites writers Adjani Salmon and Ali Hughes for the six-episode,...

Dreaming Whilst Black is headed to Showtime. The cable network has acquired the new BBC comedy series created by Adjani Salmon. He also stars in the series alongside Dani Moseley, Demmy Ladipo, Rachel Adedeji, Babirye Bukilwa, Alexander Owen, and Will Hislop.

Based on the web series of the same name, the series follows Kwabena (Salmon) as he dreams of becoming a filmmaker while working for a company in a dead-end job.

Read More…...

Exclusive: Showtime has picked up the BBC’s BAFTA-winning buzzy breakout comedy Dreaming Whilst Black from Big Deal Films and A24.

The move is the latest step in the show’s ascent, having started life as a web series before moving to BBC pilot, then series and subsequently being picked up by A24 for distribution in the space of several years.

Adjani Salmon’s comedy launched last week on BBC Three and has garnered highly favorable reviews. It follows Kwabena, played by Salmon, an aspiring filmmaker stuck in a dead-end recruitment job who takes the first step to achieving his dream of creating a TV show. However, he is quickly confronted with the tribulations of balancing finances, love and his own sense of reality, while the show deals with themes including racism, microaggressions and elitism.

The series will launch on Paramount+ with Showtime on September 8 and premiere two days later on linear,...

Jessica Hynes (“Shaun of the Dead”) and Akemnji Ndifornyen (“Famalam”) are among the cast set to join Adjani Salmon’s BBC, A24 and Big Deal Films series “Dreaming Whilst Black.”

The show, which Salmon (“Doctor Who”) created and stars in, is based on a web-series of the same name. It was adapted into a critically acclaimed pilot in 2021 and greenlit for a six-part series last fall.

The series will see Salmon reprise his role as Kwabena alongside Dani Moseley (“Everything I Know About Love”) as Amy.

They will be joined by newcomers to the show Hynes and Ndifornyen as well as Isy Suttie (“Peep Show”), Peter Serafinowicz (“The Tick”), Roger Griffiths (“Chef!”), Martina Laird (“The Little Mermaid”), Jo Martin (“Doctor Who”), Steve Furst (“The Serpent Queen”) and “Love Island’s” Ovie Soko.

Meanwhile, returning from the pilot are Demmy Ladipo (“We Are Lady Parts”) as Maurice, Rachel Adedeji (“Champion”) as Funmi,...

One of the biggest box office bombs of the 2010s is getting a sequel in the form of "R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned." Yes, really, and we even have a trailer to prove that nobody is having their leg pulled. The folks at Universal Pictures thought there might be enough of an audience for this, nearly a decade after the original Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges two-hander lost a boatload of money (to the point where Reynolds re-thought his entire career). And they even got an actual known actor to take on the lead role in the form of Jeffrey Donovan ("Burn Notice").

Now, it is really important to point out that this is a direct-to-video sequel, meaning they presumably spent a whole lot less money on it. That is just about the only way in which a sequel to a bomb this big makes any sense.

Nine years ago, Universal released a supernatural action comedy called R.I.P.D.: Rest in Peace Department, which didn’t do much at the box office despite starring Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges. Made on a budget somewhere in the 150 million range, R.I.P.D. only earned 78.3 million worldwide. It was considered a bomb… but that hasn’t stopped Universal from making a direct-to-video sequel. Made completely under the radar, the sequel is called R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned – and it has already been screened for the ratings board at the Motion Picture Association, earning a PG-13 rating for “sequences of violence, language, disturbing images and some crude/sexual references“.

According to IMDb, R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned was directed by Paul Leyden (Chick Fight) from a screenplay he wrote with Andrew Klein. Since the film was made in secrecy, a plot...

Netflix has boarded its latest BBC drama, Champion, the show from award-winning Queenie writer Candice Carty-Williams, which has unveiled cast.

The streamer will take rights outside of the UK and Ireland on the eight-part musical drama.

Top Boy star Malcolm Kamulete is leading alongside newcomers Déja J Bowens and musician Ray Blk, who is also music exec with grime pioneer Ghetts.

Also starring are Nadine Marshall, Ray Fearon, Jo Martin, Kerim Hassan (Once Upon a Time in London), Adeyinka Akinrinade, Tom Forbes, Genesis Lynea, Karl Collins, Francis Lovehall, Corey Weekes and Rachel Adedeji.

Described as a “love letter to Black British music” and set in South London,...

Netflix has picked up the global rights outside the U.K. and Ireland on BBC drama “Champion,” from “Queenie” author Candice Carty-Williams.

The show, which is currently in production for BBC One in the U.K., marks the first TV project for the award-winning Carty-Williams, who recently released her new novel, “People Person.”

The music-infused “Champion” tells the explosive story of what happens when fame collides with family. The show follows rap sensation Bosco Champion, who is home from prison, and ready to dominate the music industry. But when his dutiful younger sister Vita’s own talent is discovered by Bosco’s rival, Bulla, she steps out of her brother’s shadow to become a performer in her own right, setting the Champion siblings against one another and tearing apart the whole family in the process.

Billed as a love letter to Black British music set in south London, “Champion...

Berlin Pushing On Despite Rotterdam Online Move

The Berlin International Film Festival is still planned to take place in person after the Dutch lockdown forced the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) to move online for a second consecutive year. A spokesperson for Berlin confirmed to Deadline that the event is still due to take place in person in February. Fresh restrictions were introduced in Germany today, including a limit of private gatherings among vaccinated people to a maximum of 10. The news comes as late January event IFFR is moved online, just days after the government in the Netherlands announced a nationwide lockdown due to concerns over the Omicron variant, with all non-essential shops and cultural venues staying closed for at least a month. All sessions, which include the unveiling of Steve McQueen’s Sunshine State installation, will take place online instead from late January until early February. “The festival acknowledges...

In today’s Global Bulletin, Amazon Prime Video commissions “Celebrity Bake Off España”; BBC Three sets launch date for “Dreaming Whilst Black”; HBO Max boards “Lucy the Human Chimp”; Banijay Iberia shakes up its executive team; and Beyond Rights acquires “Caroline Flack: Her Life and Death” ahead of MipTV.

Format

Amazon Prime Video is bringing Love Productions and the BBC’s popular cooking format “Celebrity Bake Off” to Spanish cocinas with “Celebrity Bake Off España,” a local version of the program set to feature big names from Spanish sports, music and entertainment.

Sticking with what has worked so well for the franchise thus far, “Celebrity Bake Off España” will pit 12 celebs in a weekly culinary competition to be judged by experts, with one contestant sent home each week.

Trans-Atlantic production house Boxfish TV, producers of the current Spanish remake of the original “Bake Off” for Cuatro, will also produce the...

Exclusive: A trio of Black Hollyoaks actors have spoken out about the “systemic racism” that exists at producer Lime Pictures and the TV industry in general following the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement.

In a special episode of the Channel 4 soap’s Don’t Filter Feelings podcast, actors Richard Blackwood (Felix Westwood), Talia Grant (Brooke Hathaway), Trevor A Toussaint (Walter Deveraux) shared their experiences of racism and reflections on working in the business.

“Systemic racism exists in all stratas of society, and television is no exception to that. Lime, who I work for, is no exception to this,” Toussaint said. The actor noted that there is not one person of color in a position of authority at Lime, while he added that he has only worked with two Black directors since joining the show in 2018, and not a single Black producer.

“What is Lime getting wrong? They...

It’s been a troubling week for All3Media production company Lime Pictures, which is now facing accusations of discriminating against black people on two of its biggest shows.

Following allegations from actress Rachel Adedeji about the treatment of black cast members on Hollyoaks, Vas J Morgan has raised questions about his treatment on ITV scripted reality show The Only Way Is Essex.

In an Instagram post, Morgan accused the show of “systematic racism,” highlighting how he was treated differently to white cast members and pointing out that he has been Towie‘s only regular black male cast member in 10 years.

He said: “While I have always been proud to be one of the only black and gay reality TV stars on British television, I have often felt conflicted over the way I was treated and the way I was portrayed.

“During the four years I filmed the show, I was...

As a powerful new wave of protests against systemic racism floods the streets of Britain, Black creatives within the TV industry have become increasingly emboldened to speak out and share their experiences of workplace microaggressions, othering and discrimination.

In the last week, “Hollyoaks” star Rachel Adedeji — who is exiting the show — tweeted her disappointment with the Channel 4 soap’s response to the Black Lives Matter campaign by revealing several examples of on-set racism, while an Instagram account called Black in TV has been sharing horror stories from sets. Elsewhere, TV production manager Richie West posted a list of microaggressions experienced by Black people that has now gone viral.

“Being Black and working in the TV industry means toeing the line…it means being one of the only black people in the office,” West lists in the statement. “It means not having your CV considered if you have a traditionally ‘ethnic’ name…...

Lime Pictures has confirmed that Hollyoaks actress Rachel Adedeji is leaving just days after she raised questions about racial discrimination on Channel 4’s soap.

The All3Media-owned company said Adedeji handed in her notice last year, meaning her decision to leave came before she went public with concerns about the treatment of diverse cast members.

Lime said: “Rachel made the decision to leave Hollyoaks to pursue other opportunities earlier last year which saddened us at Hollyoaks as she is one of the leading cast members in the show.

“However, the notice period did allow the writers time to give Lisa Loveday an extremely gripping exit storyline. Viewers will see this story play out later this year as her final scenes were filmed shortly before lockdown.”

Adedeji’s rep added: “It had always been our intention for Rachel to leave the show after a period of time. She loved her...

The actor at the center of a row over alleged racism behind the scenes at British soap opera “Hollyoaks” has quit the show, it has emerged.

Rachel Adedeji, who has alleged that she was subject to racist comments while working on the long-running Channel 4 drama, resigned last year, it has now been revealed.

However, representatives for both the actor, who played Lisa Loveday, and the show’s producer, Lime Pictures, deny there was a link between her departure and her complaints about racism.

The scenes leading up to Lisa Loveday’s exit from the show were shot before the lockdown, and will be aired later this year.

A spokesperson for “Hollyoaks” said: “Rachel made the decision to leave ‘Hollyoaks’ to pursue other opportunities earlier last year, which saddened us at ‘Hollyoaks’ as she is one of the leading cast members in the show. However, the notice period did allow...

Lime Pictures, the producer of U.K. soap “Hollyoaks,” has launched an investigation after star Rachel Adedeji alleged she witnessed racism on the Channel 4 show.

The actress, who has played Lisa Loveday in “Hollyoaks” since 2016, posted a statement on social media last week about her time on the soap.

She claims she was once told “you’re all the same” by a make-up artist, and that black female actresses were told to drastically change their hair because otherwise viewers “would not be able to tell them apart”.

Adedeji has appeared in more than 200 episodes of the show, but said in her four years on the soap she had only worked with one black director.

“Working at ‘Hollyoaks’ is mostly positive, but the experiences I have encountered are a constant reminder of how difficult it is being a black woman in the industry,” Adedeji said. “I am no longer standing for it.

All3Media-owned production company Lime Pictures has promised to “stamp out implicit bias” after actress Rachel Adedeji raised questions about the treatment of black cast members on Channel 4’s UK soap Hollyoaks.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lime said it was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the issues raised by Adedeji and others in recent days, and added: “Lime Pictures strives to have zero tolerance of racism or any form of discrimination across all of its shows but it is clear we have further work to do.”

Lime previously said it is investigating the claims and it has now drawn up an action plan to tackle the questions raised. This includes:

Speaking to individual cast and crew to address their specific concerns Requesting that staff come forward with other concerns or “instances of unacceptable behaviour” Working with unconscious bias trainers Pledging that all Bame staff and freelancers will be...

All3Media-owned Lime Pictures has launched an investigation after actress Rachel Adedeji raised questions about the treatment of black cast members on the set of Channel 4’s UK soap Hollyoaks.

Adedeji, who has appeared in more than 200 episodes of Hollyoaks, tweeted her disapproval of the show’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement and raised a laundry list of questions about her experiences of those of co-stars.

In her statement, she claimed that she was told “you’re all the same” by a make-up artist on the show, while she also said black cast members were referred to as “blackies” by a senior figure in the production team.

Adedeji claimed that female black actors were “forced to drastically change their hair” for fear that viewers “would not be able to tell them apart.” She also said she has only worked with one black director in four years on the show.

In the words of her husband, "Day 10 and we've now cracked." As many of us around the world understand, social distancing from inside your home all day every day can begin to wear on you. Eventually, you don't know what day or time it is, changing out of your pajamas becomes an unnecessary suggestion and all semblance of normalcy eventually seeps out of the window you've been staring at for the last 15 minutes. But, as evidenced by this video, these times can also spark musical greatness and comedy gold. In a tweet on Thursday, talent agent Jason Finegan shared a video of his wife, former X Factor contestant, singer and actress Rachel Adedeji in their living room in England with...

Everyone breathe a sigh of relief: Peter Dickson will be back on The X Factor.

The man with the booming voice confirmed today that producers had managed to persuade him to return to the show, despite his previous announcement that he'd decided to quit.

And Dickson - famous for getting his mouth around names like Rachel Adedeji - explained that he's excited about shouting out the names of this year's acts.

"While I was looking forward to getting my weekends back I have been so touched by the comments of thousands of fans of the show who were disappointed at my departure, that I am now delighted to say I'm back at The X Factor microphone and really looking forward to tackling the names of this season's finalists - especially Bupsi!" Dickson said. "I'll try to make it sound as nasty as possible!"

Dickson was absent from the Judges' Houses,...

The X Factor is well and truly under way, and we've been keeping an eye on everything that's been going on...

When is The X Factor on TV?

The show kicked off on August 29 - and in fact, in an attempt to avoid any clashes with Strictly Come Dancing, ITV bosses have unveiled the full schedule right from the off, so we know everything that's coming. You can get a proper look at it here, but auditions continued until Saturday, September 19 with Boot Camp kicking off on September 20. That was the first of five boot camp shows - two set in a country house, and then three episodes of the dreaded Six Chair Challenge. They were all on Sundays, to avoid the Rugby World Cup, but then Judges' Houses aired on October 24 and October 25... and the first big live show will kick off on October 31. And the grand final? It's set for Sunday,...

As Peter Dickson himself might have boomed: arrrrre yooouuu rrrrready? Because as The X Factor kicked off its first live shows this weekend, there was a surprise in store: a new voiceover man.

Peter 'Rachel Adedeji' Dickson announced a couple of months ago that he'd decided to quit the show and take his booming voice with him, and so this weekend we heard a very slight snatch of a new voiceover introducing the show. But who's the man behind that American twang?

1. His name is Redd Pepper - and he honed his craft by being a Tube driver

Here are the basics. Unsurprisingly, Redd Pepper is not his real name: the 54-year-old was born Richardson Green in Barbados. He moved to London when he was young and grew up to be a Tube driver, where he'd make silly announcements on the tannoy.

"I used to say stuff like,...

After two weeks of a dramatic Country House boot camp, it's a goodbye to nice patio heaters and a hello to Wembley Arena - as the contestants take on the famously, completely and utterly brutal Six Chair Challenge. First up, it's the girls, and with such an exceptionally strong category we expect Rita will need to make some tough decisions.

Join us from 7pm as we bring you all the action live as it happens. In the meantime, why not read about the strop Simon threw after finding out his category was the Overs?

We're excited to see the judges being assigned their categories this evening, but we doubt it can possibly beat 2009, when Dannii Minogue revealed she had the girls category and Rachel Adedeji fell over.

20:59And that's it! We're all done with the girls and Six Chair Challenge for tonight. As always, thank you for joining us.

The X Factor is well and truly under way, and we've been keeping an eye on everything that's been going on...

When is The X Factor on TV?

The show kicked off on August 29 - and in fact, in an attempt to avoid any clashes with Strictly Come Dancing, ITV bosses have unveiled the full schedule right from the off, so we know everything that's coming. You can get a proper look at it here, but auditions continue until Saturday, September 19 with boot camp kicking off on September 20. That's the first of five boot camp shows - two set in a country house, and then three episodes of the dreaded Six Chair Challenge. They're all on Sundays, to avoid the Rugby World Cup, but once that's out of the way, we'll get live Judges' Houses on October 24 and October 25... and then come the big live shows from October 31. And the grand final?...

Suddenly, The X Factor is back tonight! It's come around quick, but there's loads to look forward to, from the new judges (Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora) to the new hosts (Olly Murs and Caroline Flack) to the small matter of the new auditionees.

We're on the edge of our seats, so join us from 8pm when the show kicks off as we bring you all the action...

21:31Oh, and Andrew_Billings thinks we should call the whole competition to an end now - because 4th Power have already won! Do you agree? Will you be tuning in again tomorrow? It's bye from us for now... but do keep commenting and stay tuned to DS for all your X Factor coverage!

21:30And of course keep letting us know what you thought of the show! Like, what do you make of Nick Grimshaw? mugwuff reckons he's "great", but Regina...

It's time to face the music. Possibly unable to bear saying "Cheryl Fernandez-Versini" one more time, Peter Dickson - the voice of X Factor itself - has announced that he's decided to "check out and cut loose". Oh well, at least we'll always have Rachel Adedeji.

But the paradox is that while Peter Dickson is irreplaceable, he must also be replaced. It's not going to be easy, but we've come up with a list of eight people who could possibly lend their voices to the tricky task of introducing various hopeful acts as they pursue their dreams on the biggest stage in Britain...

1. Marcus Bentley

The obvious choice. Marcus is best known for his dulcet Geordie tones on Big Brother, which have become increasingly exaggerated as time has gone by ("Toniiiiiiiiiiiiight," he yells, sounding like a gruff puppy whose tail has just been stomped on). He has voiceover experience, he...

We were all very sad to hear that the voice of The X Factor himself, Peter Dickson, has announced that he has chosen to leave the show.

But there was just one person whose reaction we needed to the news. Not Simon Cowell. Not Cheryl Fernandez-Versini. Not even Dermot O'Leary.

The X Factor 2015: 8 stars who could replace Voiceover Man Peter Dickson on the show

We're talking about Rachel Adedeji, of course.

Who could forget the perfect way in which Dickson enunciated her moniker when she took part in series six all the way back in 2009? Not us. In fact, we kind of think of it as Dickson's defining moment.

So, clearly, does Rachel, who took to Twitter today to say the following:

@Nat_Jamieson A sad day seeing @peterdickson leave the @TheXFactor.. It just won't be the same without you Sir! X

— Rachel Adedeji (@RachelASongs) July 28, 2015

We couldn't agree more,...

The X Factor will never be the same after Peter Dickson confirmed his departure from the show.

Dickson has been the distinctive voice of the show since it first started in 2004.

Rachel Adedeji saying goodbye to Peter Dickson is the only tweet we need today

The X Factor 2015: Everything we know so far including the judges, auditions and rumours

"After the best 11 years with the X Factor, it's time for me to check out and cut loose," Dickson confirmed on Twitter.

Dickson began his career at the BBC and was the corporation's youngest ever TV news presenter at the age of 17.

He had stints on BBC Radio 2 as an announcer and worked on The Steve Wright Show on Radio 1. His own Peter Dickson's Nightcap ran for four years on Radio 2.

The X Factor 2015: 8 stars who could replace Voiceover Man Peter Dickson on the show

The X Factor...

And so it's over. Ben Haenow has been crowned the winner of The X Factor after months of auditions and more auditions and Boot Camp and Judges' Houses and live shows. Now what?

Well, we're not quite ready to say goodbye just yet, so we've collected some of our favourite moments of the series. We're not talking performances as such - we're talking all the silly sideshow bits and bobs that have made this series. Are any as good as Jedward doing their own backing vocals or Rachel Adedeji falling over? We'll leave that up to you to decide.

So without further ado, here they are, in no particular order...

1. Only The Young shouty man

We're not quite sure when we started noticing Only The Young shouty man, but that's just because it feels like he's always been there. The over-exuberant supporter has invaded our consciousness to such an extent...

It's actually time to face the music! It seems like it's been a long time coming, but finally The X Factor is back with a refreshed panel – oh hi, Simon and Cheryl; welcome Mel; and, of course, hello to Louis. We're about to find out whether this new line-up will pay off. Join Digital Spy when the show kicks off at 8pm on ITV as we bring you all the action from the first night of auditions in 2014...

21:23But that's that for tonight! Tomorrow, there will be a whole new batch of room auditions for us to laugh at and love. But what did you think about tonight's show? Did you love it? Hate it? Are the panel working for you or not working out at all? Let us know in the comments! And thanks for joining us...

21:22Anyway - that's four yeses for Mr Jay James! So...

The Voice UK's Cleo Higgins and The X Factor's Rachel Adedeji have joined Thriller Live.

The pair will both take on the lead female role in the Michael Jackson musical, which is currently touring the UK.

The musical opens in Woking with a press night tonight (February 10) and will run until Saturday (February 15).

Higgins - who appeared on the second series of The Voice UK in 2013 - takes on the role of the lead female vocalist, while Adedeji is her understudy.

Higgins was the lead singer of '90s girl group Cleopatra, who had three Top 10 hits and supported the Spice Girls in concert.

Adedeji, 22, made it to the live shows of The X Factor in 2009, and was mentored by Dannii Minogue before being eliminated in week 4.

Thriller Live features many of Michael Jackson's hits, including 'I Want You Back', 'ABC', 'Smooth Criminal', 'Beat It' and 'Thriller'.

We all know the X Factor is a well-oiled money machine, so it comes as no surprise that the show will release a celebratory Greatest Hits collection to get us buying all of those songs we probably already own.

And it got us thinking: wouldn't it be better value for money to have some songs on the collection that we probably don't already own?

The X Factor has produced some forgotten gems and stellar novelty tracks over the years, so we've listed 10 of the best that didn't make the final tracklist below.

Chico: 'It's Chico Time'

Long before Lucy Spraggan and Ella Henderson wowed audiences with their songwriting efforts, we had Chico and his wristwatch. The track shot straight to number one to become one of the UK's finest novelty blow-outs, so we're a bit miffed it didn't make the compilation. Bonus track, maybe?

Leon Jackson: 'Creative'

The...

1. Pe-ter Dick-Son!

Abi Alton. Luke Friend. Kingsland Rd. Nobody will ever match Rachel Adedeji will they? Speaking of Rachel Adedeji...

We know it wasn't technically in the Live Shows, but that video never gets old.

2. They gave us Wagner.

Glorious.

3. When they make Dermot dance.

What are the odds that Dermot will be twerking by the end of this year's series?

4. The incredible showmances.

Eggnog Quigglet and The Vickers way back in series 5. I bet The Vickers still has that Vote for Eggnog t-shirt under her pillow.

Harry Styles and Caroline Flack in series 7. A romance for the ages. Very different ages.

That woman who replaced Goldie Cheung. Some guy who was in a rubbish boyband. Yeah, series 8 was a bit rubbish.

Tesco Mary always denied it, but the sexual power of Wagner must surely have been too powerful to resist back in series 7.

5. Genuine moments of joy and happiness.

There can be only one. So, who should it be? Melanie Amaro, Josh Krajcik and Chris Rene and each made their case on Wednesday night to take the crown as the season 1 winner of The X Factor, and the $5 million recording contract that goes with it. The judges had their say. Simon Cowell flat-out claimed Amaro should win. And L.A. Reid agreed that her rendition of "Listen" by Beyoncé was "a $50 million performance." Related: The X Factor Finalists Perform Duets with SuperstarsBut Krajcik and Rene brought the goods, too. Reid said Rene's duet with Avril Lavigne on "Complicated" could be an instant No.

View the original post Louis Walsh says Cheryl Cole & Simon Cowell will leave UK X Factor on Unreality TV

Louis Walsh has claimed that both Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell are planning to leave the UK X Factor.

Cowell is currently preparing to launch a Us version of the popular singing talent show in September and insiders have been speculating for months that he is planning to take Cole along for the ride.

The strongest indication of this came earlier in the week when Peter Rice, the head of entertainment on the Fox network, said:

“If Cheryl was to be on the show, I think she’s proved she’s a terrific judge. She has wonderful chemistry with Simon.”

Simon’s pal and fellow X Factor judge Louis Walsh has now told the News Of The World that the famous pair will be moving Stateside, leaving he and Dannii Minogue...

Kylie Minogue has confirmed that she would be interested in helping out her sister Dannii on The X Factor for a second consecutive year. The popstar teamed up with her younger sibling at the Judges' Houses stage of last year's series, offering her expertise before Dannii chose Stacey Solomon, Lucie Jones and Rachel Adedeji to represent her in the live shows. Reflecting on the experience, Kylie told This Morning: "Do you know, it was really much more personal than I thought it would (more)...

Former X Factor winner Leona Lewis has claimed that the show is no longer about singing and that it is now an entertainment show rather than a singing competition.

Leona won the show three years ago but seems genuinely surprised at how much it has changed in that short time.

The ‘Happy’ singer told The News Of The World:

“It’s more of an entertainment show now. It’s a TV show and they want their entertainment value.

“It’s not just about singing really well any more,”

On how the show has changed since she won three years ago, Leona said:

“When I was on the show in 2006 it was only about the singing. We were lucky if we got some good lights. I can’t believe how much it has changed.

“There are some talented singers still in the mix this year. But it also means some talented people have gone,...

Mitch Winehouse, dad of troubled singer Amy Winehouse has been chatting about the X Factor contestants on his new TV show, ‘Mitch Winehouse’s Showbiz Rant.’

Mitch has admitted that he and Amy watch The X Factor each weekend and were gutted when Rachel Adedeji got knocked out.

He said:

“Amy and I and the family were watching X Factor and when Rachel got knocked out – we thought it was a complete disaster. We were having a lovely dinner – I was having a chicken vindaloo and Amy was having a chicken Korma and we almost choked – almost put us right off our food. Almost but not quite…”

On comparisons being drawn between single mum Stacey Solomon and his daughter, Mitch said:

“Stacey is not the new Amy. She’s not as good”

And on the Grime Twins he exclaimed:

“As for Jedward, if they win it, Simon Cowell and I...

Ian Wright has blasted Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole for their recent behaviour on The X Factor. The former footballer admitted that he was annoyed to see Cowell taking the judges' vote to deadlock on Sunday night, which resulted in Rachel Adedeji being eliminated over Lloyd Daniels. He also criticised Cole for failing to slate twins John and Edward after they performed their rendition of 'We Will Rock You' on Saturday's programme. Speaking on his magazine show Live From Studio Five, Wright asked: "You know what, what's happening with Simon? It went to deadlock, isn't he meant to make the decision? If 'Jedward' can get (more)...

Rachel Adedeji has said that she is still proud of Whitney Houston's comments about her singing when she mentored her during Diva Week. The X Factor contestant, who was eliminated from the show at the weekend, told This Morning that she has no regrets about her time on the programme. Adedeji said: "I always tell myself before I perform that I'm just going to give it my all and have fun with it and every performance I give I told myself I'm going to do it like it's my last performance and I would never change a thing. "If it's not meant (more)...

I have heard many people complimenting the dress that outgoing singer, Rachel Adedeji wore on The X Factor this weekend but I just didn’t like it.

The stylists didn’t go all out and break the bank to dress Rach, her multi coloured mini dress cost only £30 from Lipsy. I know that Rachel suffered from an image crisis during her first few week’s on the show but at least she looked like an individual. Last night she looked wholly uncomfortable and a bit garish for my taste.

If you loved the dress you can buy it here, but I wouldn’t recommend it!

The X Factor hit a new series high last night, according to the latest viewing figures. The 8pm results show, in which Jls and Bon Jovi performed and Rachel Adedeji was voted off, pulled in a massive 13.87m (47.8%). Miss Frank's exit on last Sunday's show was the previous high for the series, drawing 13.38m (47.9%). Elsewhere during the hour, Antiques Roadshow managed 5.72m (19.7%) for BBC One, BBC Two's Ray Mears's Northern Wilderness put in 2.01m (6.9%), and 1.52m (5.2%) watched Celebrity Come Dine With Me on Channel 4. ITV1's Doc Martin led the 9pm hour, drawing 9.33m (35.1%) with its penultimate episode. Its nearest rival, the first episode of BBC One's Garrow's Law managed 4.46m (16.7%). Charley Boorman: Sydney To Tokyo By Any Means attracted (more)...

Rachel Adedeji has become the fourth act to be voted off The X Factor. Adedeji found herself in the bottom two for the third time after the public vote. She was joined by Lloyd Daniels, and both acts had to perform a song of their choice to win the judges' votes. Adedeji was first to perform, and chose to sing the Oasis track 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out'. Daniels, who was suffering with a sore throat, followed with a rendition of 'You Are So Beautiful'. During his performance his voice cracked, causing him to shake his head and say "Sorry". The judges then had to decide who to save. Dannii Minogue was first to vote, and decided to save her own act, Adedeji, as did Louis Walsh. Cheryl Cole saved her own act, Daniels, leaving Simon Cowell with the final vote. "Undoubtedly, Rachel you sang better than Lloyd,...