Entertainment News

Earl Cameron, one of the first Black actors to forge a successful career in British film and television, has died a family friend has said.

The Bermuda-born star that lived with his wife in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, died in his sleep.

Cameron first appeared on screen in the 1951 film Pool of London, in a rare starring role for a Black actor.

His other credits include 1965 Bond movie Thunderball and Doctor Who.

Cameron was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2009 New Year Honours.

Family friend Martin Beckett said: "He had sheltered himself because of Covid and had not really been keen on going out, he had chest problems.

"He's a great character, very spiritual, very modest; we're going to miss him.

"He would never take on roles that demeaned people of colour... he was often subject of a lot of racial prejudice, but he never really got angry about it. He pitied people that couldn't accept him."

Actor David Harewood called Cameron "a total legend".

Bermuda Premier David Burt tweeted: "I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of iconic Bermudian actor Earl Cameron."

Paterson Joseph, who recently starred as Kamal Hadley in the BBC's Noughts and Crosses series, said Cameron was a "giant man", whose "pioneering shoulders are what my generation of actors stand on".

Artistic director Sir Matthew Bourne said he was a "groundbreaker" with a "great legacy".

Cameron also starred alongside Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn in the 2005 film The Interpreter.

One of his final acting credits was for a small part in the 2010 film Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page.

As he turned 100, Cameron said he wanted to see more Black actors in roles.

He said: "There's a lot of talent out there and I think the British film industry would prosper by using more Black talent."

Cameron joined the British merchant navy and arrived in the UK in 1939.

He told the Royal Gazette he made his debut in the chorus of Chu Chin Chow, a West End show, when he was working as a dishwasher at a restaurant and they needed someone quickly.

He was 102.

Birmingham Opera Company has announced that conductor Alpesh Chauhan will join the organisation as Music Director from 1 July 2020.

Chauhan will stand alongside Artistic Director Graham Vick leading the Company on its mission to make great opera for all the peoples of Birmingham.
 
Birmingham born Alpesh was Principal Cello with the CBSO Youth Orchestra. He entered the Royal Northern College of Music in 2008 to study the cello before pursuing the prestigious Master’s Conducting Course. Highlights of Chauhan’s career include a subscription concert with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre and his BBC Proms debut with the BBC Philharmonic, a production of Turandot in Valencia at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía as well as regular appearances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra where until 2016 he was Assistant Conductor.

For the past five years Alpesh has enjoyed a fruitful relationship with the Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini in Parma, who awarded him the title of Principal Conductor and with whom he has performed and recorded staples of the great symphonic repertoire, including a complete cycle of Brahms’ symphonies. He regularly appears as a guest with acclaimed British orchestras including across the UK and further afield internationally. Chauhan made his UK opera debut in 2019 with Birmingham Opera Company, the CBSO and director Graham Vick for Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, which won a Royal Philharmonic Society Award. He is a finalist in the International Opera Awards 2020.
 
A keen advocate of music education for young people, Alpesh has worked with ensembles such as the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and the symphony orchestras of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the Royal Northern College of Music. He is a patron of Awards for Young Musicians, a UK charity supporting talented young people from disadvantaged backgrounds on their musical journeys.
 
On the appointment Graham Vick, Artistic Director, Birmingham Opera Company said: "From the word go it was clear to me that Alpesh not only was an outstanding conductor with great theatrical flair but also had a profound empathy for the Company. As the need for the Company’s values becomes ever more urgent, I am thrilled that he has agreed to join me at the helm.”
 
Alpesh Chauhan said: "It’s a huge privilege for me to take up the post of Music Director at the Birmingham Opera Company. Following the success of last year’s project - Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk - I’m particularly excited to work more alongside Graham Vick - one of the world’s greatest opera directors.

“It’ll be an honour to stand at the front of this special organisation which combines its massed forces to be a shining beacon for Birmingham. Growing up in Birmingham gave me the best of musical starts - being immersed in a city of culture at the highest level - and I’m now extremely happy to be a regular contributor to the city’s glowing cultural output. I am especially delighted to be a part of an organisation such as BOC which constantly thinks outside of the box with its totally immersive performances, successfully broadening the opera audience.”

Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, although Town Hall and Symphony Hall have closed, the music has played on.

The last performance at the Birmingham venues saw Jamie Cullum perform to a sell-out audience. Before the concert, the award-winning artist met four Birmingham-based jazz pianists from the Jazzlines talent development programme.

David Austin Grey, Ashley Allen, Piera Onarko and Stella Roberts will perform across consecutive Friday’s in Spring 2021 part of a series titled “Jamie Cullum recommends”. Each concert, which were originally scheduled for this Autumn, will be free to attend but tickets must be booked in advance in order to secure entry.

Jamie Cullum said: “I was thrilled to be asked to recommend some of the hottest artists from Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Jazzlines Talent Development Program. These four incredible Birmingham based Jazz pianists; David Austin Grey, Ashley Allen, Piera Onako and Stella Roberts must be seen so make sure you catch this exceptional series of talent.”

The live music industry is asking the general public to share pictures and videos from the last concert they attended on social media with the hashtag #LetTheMusicPlay, to show the vital importance of the UK’s live music industry.

Nick Reed, Town Hall Symphony Hall’s Chief Executive said: “I’m proud of the digital activities we have continued to deliver in these desperate times. Of course, our charitable output relies on income generated through our core business of live music entertainment and sustaining these impactful activities long-term is simply not possible. The recently published government guidelines provide no assurance. We urgently need a time-based plan for re-opening at full capacity and a financial support package in order for the thriving and exciting music scene in this city to survive.”

Beyond the 800 events and performances on Birmingham’s world-renowned stages every year, the music charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall provides life-changing experiences to over 18,000 young people and adults and has continued to provide for audiences and participants alike.

Over 150 people have joined online workshops as part of Community Spirit - a project run in partnership with THSH Associate Artists, Black Voices which offers local community choirs the opportunity to share repertoire and perform as a collective.

50 participants from BIMM Birmingham and CUBE joined one of pop music's leading music directors, Kojo Samuel for a virtual Q+A. He shared industry insights, including his involvement with Stormzy's headline-grabbing set on the Pyramid stage at last year's Glastonbury.

5 Black Birmingham jazz musicians have been commissioned to compose new music as part of the music charity’s talent development programme. One of the three pieces released last week has been selected by Jazz FM’s China Moses as her Late Night Track of the Week.

Digital broadcasts from Town Hall and Symphony Hall in the last three months have amassed almost 200,000 views. Winners of two prestigious BBC Young Musician competitions, Xhosa Cole and Lauren Zhang performed digital concerts to online audiences, direct from the centre of Birmingham’s cultural heart. Other artists including Daniel O’Donnell, Eric Bibb and Isata Kanneh-Mason have performed for online audiences from their homes. Town Hall and Symphony Hall have also shared pre-recorded concerts from across the continent as part of a collaboration amongst European Concert Halls.

According to research conducted by Virgin Money, music has powered British optimism during the coronavirus pandemic, with almost half (43%) of Birmingham attributing music as being the creative force helping to keep their spirits high.

In addition to having a positive impact on mental health, the live music industry contributes £4.5billion in gross value added each year.

Next year’s BRIT Awards have been pushed back by three months, to May, for it to have a better chance of staging a full live ceremony featuring some of the world’s biggest pop stars.

The 41st edition of the music awards show was due to take place in February, as usual, at the O2 Arena in London.

But uncertainty around the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has prompted the music industry to delay the event.

Organisers said that they want “outstanding production levels, superstar performances and live excitement”.

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of the BRITS and industry body the BPI, said: “We believe that the best way to achieve this in 2021 is to move the show back a few months to May.

“We are already at work planning a spectacular event that will remind us just how important music has been in getting us all through this very difficult time”.

The eligibility period for the awards will be altered, although music releases have continued during the pandemic.

UK pop star, Keisha Buchanan, has spoken out about the “trauma” that she experienced as the only Black member of the chart-topping band Sugababes.

The singer, who was a member of the platinum-selling girl group for well over a decade, said that she was often portrayed as a “bully” and who the others were scared of.

The 35-year-old said: “I have never bullied anyone in my life but after a while I felt like no one would believe me”.

She added: that the “scrutiny and judgement” had left her in therapy.

Keisha opened up about her experiences in a 14-minute YouTube video.
"I used to think racism was when someone directly looked at you and called you a racist word. I didn't realise that there are so many different ways that a person or people can be racist or prejudice," she said.

But after she found fame as a teenager, she started to notice that newspaper articles would paint her as "aggressive", "angry" and a "bully".

"My reality is constantly feeling like I have to work 10 times harder and longer to make my case in the group, because my talent alone isn't enough."

Both stars said they hoped that discussing their stories would raise awareness of discrimination, in response to the recent Black Lives Matter protests and George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

"I'm not doing this video for sympathy," Ms Buchanan said. "I'm not a victim whatsoever, but I have been hurt and I would like there to be a change in how we view others."

Live Nation Entertainment, the world’s leading live entertainment company, have announced Utilita Live From The Drive-In – a series of live drive-in concerts situated across 12 venues in the U.K. Live Nation is reimagining the live music experience during a time of social distancing by allowing fans to enjoy concerts in a one-of-a-kind drive-in setting from their own private individual viewing zones next to their cars. Designed to comply with all official guidelines, Utilita Live From The Drive-In will deliver the U.K.’s premier drive-in experience featuring a series of music concerts, theatre performances, comedy shows and family experiences this Summer.
 
Utilita Live From The Drive-In will see some of the biggest names in U.K. music perform live on stage backed by a full concert production that audiences can experience from the comfort of their designated area, with each vehicle appropriately distanced from one another. Utilita Live From The Drive-In will also offer carefully curated family events for kids of all ages from West End theatre extravaganzas to interactive science shows, fun live music and DJs and some very well-known TV stars and characters from children television – more to be announced and added to the schedule.
 
Utilita Live From The Drive-In confirmed live performances with more to be announced already include: Ash, Beverley Knight, Bjorn Again, Brainiac Live, Brand New Heavies, Camp Bestival Live, Cream Classical Ibiza, Dizzee Rascal, Embrace, Gary Numan, Jack Savoretti, Kaiser Chiefs, Lightning Seeds, Nathan Dawe, Reggae Roast Vs Gentleman's Dub Club, Russell Watson, Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason, Sigala, Skindred, The Snuts, The Streets, The Zutons and Tony Hadley. Performance schedules can be found now at LiveNation.co.uk/utilitalivefromthedrivein.
 
Tickets for Utilita Live From The Drive-In events will be available at 10am on Monday 22nd June at LiveNation.co.uk. Visit LiveNation.co.uk for further announcements on performers, entry prices, on-sale dates and further important information. Ensuring the best experience for everyone, Utilita Live From The Drive-In will have a capacity of approximately 300 cars per show and boast concert quality sound from a live stages with a full state of the art sound system, lighting rig and high definition LED screens, creating an arena or stadium concert feel in a safe Drive-In setting adhering to the Government’s current social distancing rules to protect fans, artists, crews and staff at all times.

Multi-platinum international artist Dennis Lloyd shares the animated video for his new single; ‘Alien’ that was released via Arista Records. 

‘Alien’ is the first track off his forthcoming debut album. 
 
Directed by Yoav Aluf at Plonter Animation Studios, the video tells a story about an alien who crashes on earth and meets a young boy who helps him search for his lost dog. Despite the alien initially being reluctant to trust the boy, the two form a strong bond throughout their journey together. The video’s message is that regardless of our backgrounds, we’re all looking for the same things in life: to feel loved, safe and to have a place we can call home.
 
Lloyd stated: “This was the first song I wrote after returning home from tour. At some point on the road you can lose track of where you are, waking up in a new city or country each day, to new people, cultures and foods. In a way I felt like an alien on a spaceship, exploring the world.”
 
Born and raised in Tel Aviv, in Israel, Lloyd released his debut EP, “Exident”, last year. The lead single, ‘Never Go Back’ landed on Spotify’s sought-after playlist, Today’s Top Hits, on day one of its release. 

TIME Magazine praised ‘Never Go Back’ as an “equally alluring follow up” to Lloyd’s global smash, ‘Nevermind.’

In addition, Forbes proclaimed, “Lloyd creatively blends the elements of pop, R&B, rock and reggae, breaking global boundaries in addition to crossing them.” 

Lloyd travelled the world on the sold-out Never Go Back Tour, with highlights including show-stopping sets at Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, New York City’s Governors Ball and Dover, DE’s Firefly Festival. Last autumn, he embarked on the sold-out Never Go Back Tour: Part III, which spanned across 16 European countries.  

Best known as the Forces Sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn, the nation is mourning the passing of the woman whose songs helped to raise morale during World War II.

The singer was best known for performing hits like ‘We’ll Meet Again’ to the troops who were on the front line in countries such as India and Burma.

In a statement, her family confirmed that she died with them (her family) around her.

They said that they were “deeply saddened to make the announcement of the passing of Britain’s best-loved entertainer”.

Ahead of the recent 75th anniversary of VE Day during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, Dame Vera said that simple acts of bravery and sacrifice still defines our nation.

Following that, she then became the oldest person to have a top 40 album in the UK charts, beating her own record when her Greatest Hits album re-entered the charts at No.30.

Dame Vera, who sold more than a million records by the age of 22, was also remembered for singing ‘The White Cliffs Of Diver’, ‘There’ll Always Be An England’, ‘I’ll Be Seeing You’, ‘Wishing’ and ‘If Only I Had Wings’.

She was 103.

Singer and actor Barbara Streisand has made George Floyd’s six-year-old daughter a stockholder in Disney.

Gianni Floyd posted a picture of her new shares on Instagram, thanking Streisand in the caption.

“Thank You Barbara Streisand for my package, I am now a Disney Stockholder thanks to you”, she wrote.

Shares in Disney are currently valued at around $115 (£92). Before the coronavirus pandemic, they traded as high as $150 (£120).

It is not clear how many shares Streisand purchased for Gianni, whose father was murdered whilst in police custody, after an officer knelt on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds – his death sparking worldwide protests for an end to racism and demands for police reform.

Hip-Hop mogul Kanye West has also provided financial support for the schoolgirl having launched a college fund to cover the cost of her tuition.

Texas Southern University has also offered her a full scholarship if she chooses to attend there in the future.

The Tasering of the father of rapper Wretch 32 will be assessed by the police watchdog after the Met was instructed to refer it.

The rapper posted a video on Twitter of Millard Scott falling downstairs after he was being Tasered by officers in Haringey, in north London.

The force previously said that a review had found that “no indication of misconduct”.

But the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) used its powers to require the force to refer it.

A spokesperson for the force said that officers went to the property as part of “a long-running operation to tackle drugs supply linked to serious violence”.

After which, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan then called for an urgent investigation by the IOPC.

Describing the incident as “distressing”, he said: “It is absolutely vital that our police service retains the trust of the communities it serves”.

Scotland Yard later said that it would not refer the incident to the IOPC.

Wretch 32, whose real name is Jermaine Scott, shared the 36-second clip on his Twitter account with the caption: ‘This is how the police think they can treat a 62 year old Black man in Tottenham but this 1 happens to be my dad’.

It shows Mr Scott falling down the stairs after an officer is heard to warn: “Police officer with a Taser. Stay where you are”.

As officers ask if he is OK and tells him to keep still, a distressed woman can be heard to say: “They’ve Tasered him”.

Mr Scott said that he was “lucky to be alive”.

He said: “The only people who have invaded our space are the Metropolitan Police.

“The only people who seem to ignore the guidelines put out there are the Metropolitan Police.

“It seems at the moment in time that we are being singled out and targeted.

Said to be one of the biggest stars in Bollywood, one of its best known and shining light, Sushant Singh Rajput, was found dead in his apartment in Mumbai, in India.

Mumbai police announced the tragic news before saying that they believed that his took own life

Best known for his role in ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, where he played the legendary cricketer, the 34-year-old Bihar-born star was also well-known as being popular for his TV work.

The actor’s last film was ‘Chhichhore’, which was released in 2019.

His former manager, Disha Salian, 28, died in the recent past days after falling from the 14th floor of a Mumbai building.

In an Instagram story following her passing Rajpul wrote; ‘It’s such devastating news. My deepest condolences to Disha’s family and friends. May your soul rest in peace.’

Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was among the many people who paid tribute calling him “a bright young actor gone too soon”.

Music superstar, Stormzy has made a pledge in the form of £10 million to organisations, charities and movements in the UK who are tackling racial inequality, justice reform and Black empowerment.

The internationally-renowned multi-award winning grime star said that he will make his donation over the next 10 years.

He said: “We have to fight against the odds of a racist system that is stacked against us and is designed for us to fail from before we are even born”.

The Croydon-born artist, who is of Ghanaian parents, said that he was making the donation to fight racial inequality because “the uncomfortable truth that our country continuously fails to recognise and admit, is that Black people in the UK have been at a constant disadvantage in every aspect of life – simply due to the colour of our skin.

“I’m lucky enough to be in the position I’m in and I’ve heard people often dismiss the idea of racism existing in Britain by saying ‘If the country is so racist how have you become a success?!’ and I reject that with this: I am not the UK’s shining example of what supposedly happens when a Black person works hard.

“There are millions of us. We are not far and few. We have to fight against the odds of a racist system stacked against us and designed for us to fail from before we are even born.

He has also funded Black British students at Cambridge University.

The Royal Opera House announces ‘Live from Covent Garden’, a series of three unique performances to be broadcast live via YouTube and Facebook from its world-famous home in Covent Garden.

The first concert, on 13 June at 7.30pm, will be hosted by the BBC’s Anita Rani and the Royal Opera House’s very own Director of Music, Antonio Pappano, and will see the ROH go behind the scenes as we open our theatre to a select group of musicians, artists and performers in the first live concerts since closing its doors to the public on 17 March.

The concerts will be a celebration of ballet and opera, from our house to your house, as social distancing and lockdown measures mean the Royal Opera House’s building remains closed to live audiences.

The first concert will be free and will include work from Benjamin Britten and George Frideric Handel, both of whom have a long history with the ROH, as well as accompanying work from George Butterworth and Turnage, performed by stars including Louise Alder, Toby Spence and Gerald Finley. We also look forward to an intimate world premiere by Wayne McGregor, Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. Further details of this exciting new work will be announced in due course.

Showcasing the best of The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet companies, and curated by Director of Music, Antonio Pappano, Director of The Royal Ballet Kevin O’Hare and Director of Opera Oliver Mears, the ROH is proud to present some of the world’s finest talent in opera, alongside intimate performances from a select number of dancers from The Royal Ballet. All broadcast live and direct to living rooms across the globe.

The following two performances on Saturday 20 June and Saturday 27 June will be available to view live and on demand for just £4.99 and will include a host of ballet and opera direct from The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.

The music charity responsible for Town Hall and Symphony Hall are turning the volume up on three Black Birmingham artists, who have been invited to compose musical responses on the theme of racism, individual and systemic.

Fast-emerging British singer, songwriter and pianist Reuben James’ virtuoso jazz techniques and soulful, evocative voice have led him to be widely regarded as one the most exciting and creatively assured artists to have emerged in recent years. Although perhaps best known for his ongoing collaborations with Sam Smith, which have included co-writing songs for Smith’s 4 million-selling album The Thrill of It All, James has written for and performed with an array of international star acts including the likes of Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt, Brandi Carlile, Herbie Hancock, Elton John, John Legend, Tori Kelly, Little Mix, Disclosure and Liam Payne amongst many others. Reuben signed with Warner/Chappell in 2018 and has since been working on his own material, exploring the boundaries between jazz and pop.

Romarna Campbell is a drummer, composer and producer from Birmingham. From a very young age, music has been at the heart of everything that Romarna does, with a particularly large Hip-Hop and Jazz influence. Music has afforded her the opportunity to travel around the world, including studying at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. She has also had the great honour and joy to perform around Europe and the US with many people, including Courtney Pine, Billy Childs, Soweto Kinch and more, as well as lead her own bands and projects with many of her peers and friends. Currently, Romarna is working on here debut EP.

BBC Young Jazz Musician winner Xhosa Cole is an embodiment of the success of numerous Birmingham community arts programmes. He first played the Tenor at Andy Hamilton’s Ladywood Community Music School, however, it was Holyhead School’s Jazz band with Ray Prince and Sid Peacock that lead him to pursue music, joining the THSH Jazzlines Ensemble, Birmingham Schools Symphony Orchestra and many more. Handsworth-born Xhosa continually pushes his playing while studying with teachers and mentors including Mike Williams, Jim Bashford and David Austin-Grey; Performing regularly around Birmingham; Writing for commissions by the Ideas of Noise Festival and Bobbie-Jane Gardener’s ‘For-Wards’ others.

Central to Town Hall Symphony Hall's Jazzlines programme is its work supporting the creative and professional development of artists throughout their career. Commissioning new work, such as this, is one way of doing so. 

Town Hall Symphony Hall's Jazzlines is a PRS Foundation Talent Development Partner and supported by Arts Council England under the National Portfolio Organisation scheme.

The Birmingham Hippodrome has announced that it will continue to remain closed until November.

The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating for the theatre and live entertainment industries in the UK especially for charitable organisations like the Birmingham Hippodrome who do not receive any regular revenue subsidy with almost all of its income coming from the sales of tickets for productions.

And, as such, they currently have no revenue income.

The city’s leading theatre venue was set to stage some of the leading blockbuster productions including Sister Act, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Hairspray, but will now, not be rescheduled until the reopening, which in turn is not due until November 2 at the earliest.

With it being closed since March means that it, like all other theatres, is out of pocket as their income is totally driven by ticket sales.

A statement on their website also said: “Almost all of our income from sales of tickets for our productions, so we currently have no revenue stream.

“We are working with the government bodies and other UK venues to explore ways we can reopen safely, but whilst social distancing measures are still in place, we must remain closed for the foreseeable future”.

The team are currently dealing with a high volume of bookings, and are asking all ticket holders to avoid contacting Birmingham Hippodrome directly to minimise their huge number of incoming enquires.

Singing legend Robbie Williams is to make a brief comeback and rejoin Take That for a virtual as-live gig on the evening of Friday June 5.

The online charity concert will see the 46-year-old and his ex-bandmates Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen each perform from their own respective homes, due to the coronavirus lockdown.

A bit like the current work morning meeting, but with added 90s hits.

It is the first time that Williams has performed with the band since the X Factor final in 2018.

It also means that only Jason Orange is the only original member who is missing from the Take That line-up, which released its debut album ‘Take That and Party’ almost 30-years ago.

Williams said: “I’m looking forward to performing with the lads again.

“If we can’t get to the stadium… we’ll bring the stadium to us”.