Entertainment News

Get ready for a warm welcome from the BBC Good Food Show Summer, sponsored by Lexus, this June.  The Show returns to the NEC Birmingham, promising to be one of the summer’s tastiest days out and a great way to spend a day with food loving friends. With many of the nation’s favourite chefs and celebs, a wide range of local and regional artisan producers and everyone’s favourite big name brands, there’s something for everyone.

Country houses and music events are well known - but an art gallery with its own music festival? Now that rocks! The Compton Verney Festival returns this summer (1-3 July), and promises three days of brilliant beats, fantastic food and lots of family fun.

From 24 April to 28 August, the Thuringian state exhibition “The Ernestines. A Dynasty Shapes Europe” sheds light on a fascinating dynasty of rulers who shaped the history of Germany and Europe. Members of the Ernestine line can still be found in several royal dynasties in Europe including – guess what – the UK where the Ernestine line of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha has survived in the current Royal Family, albeit as the House of Windsor after a name change in 1917.

The fabulous Deer Park Country House Hotel's launch of its exquisite new Orangery went off with a bang. In true Deer Park style, Friday night saw their most extravagant event yet which ended with a remarkable fireworks display setting the sky above Weston alight. Nigel Wray, owner of both Saracens Rugby Club and the Deer Park Country House Hotel also made a special appearance. 

Don't miss the chance to discover the temporary exhibition: 'Capability' Brown at Blenheim Palace open daily until Monday 2nd May. Blenheim Palace was one of 'Capability' Brown's most significant landscape projects. Commissioned by the 4th Duke of Marlborough in 1763, he spent a total of 11 years transforming the Palace's landscaped parkland which, although appearing quite natural, is 'contrived to pleasing effect'.

It’s proving to be a solemn year with April’s noted passing of Funk/Rock ‘God,’ Prince, who superseded that – almost within hours - of comedienne Victoria Wood and soul singer Percy Sledge. The death of ‘The Purple One,’ might have caused greater reverberations throughout the entertainment world, but the loss of the lyrical genius that is Victoria and the soul legend with the smoothest of voices  is showing a rise in the number of significant celebrity death being reported for this year – so far.

Finding Dory – the sequel to Pixar's Finding Nemo - is set to be this summer's blockbuster animated film, following the underwater adventures of forgetful fish, Dory (voiced by Ellen De Generes) and her amphibian pals.  With a UK release date of 29 July (perfect timing for the school summer holidays) and a voiceover cast that includes Hollywood big hitters Idris Elba, Michael Sheen, Dominic West and Diane Keaton, Finding Dory is set to make the underwater world a big draw for summer 2016.  

Victoria Wood, singer, writer and comedian died yesterday after a "short but brave" battle with cancer aged 62. Her publicist announced that the star "died peacefully at her north London home with family" on Wednesday. Known best for her BBC comedy Dinnerladies and sketch Acorn Antiques, Wood found fame in the 1980's, winning 5 BAFTA's including 2 for her ITV drama Housewife, 49.

In May, Coventry’s Mead Gallery will invite local people to take part in a unique opportunity to help curate a new exhibition based on the work of celebrated poet T. S. Eliot. A Journey with The Waste Land is part of a project, led by Coventry-raised Michael Tooby, which will lead to exhibitions in 2018 at Turner Contemporary in Margate, Leeds Art Gallery and the Mead Gallery in Coventry to coincide with the centenary of the end of the First World War.

Blenheim Palace has announced a very special party for the Queen's 90th Birthday on 12 June. The Great Court will be transformed for the celebrations with brass bands playing at times throughout the day. At 1pm the seven brass bands will come together to play Happy Birthday and the National Anthem in celebration of our longest reigning monarch. Her Majesty has been a regular visitor to the Palace, staying with the Duke & Duchess of Marlborough on in 1958 and visiting most recently in 1975.

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, Trinity Leeds will host a day of activities in collaboration with the University of Leeds, celebrating the life and work of the national icon. There will be boards in the centre which visitors can record their favourite Shakespeare quotes and plays, which will be live-tweeted throughout the day, giving a snapshot of what the bard means to the city.

With first time cruiser numbers increasing by nearly a third, record breaking new ships launching, exciting destinations and exhilarating excursions plus out-of-this-world onboard features, the number of people holidaying at sea is sure to rise again in 2016. Seven glorious new ocean vessels, adding approximately 18,500 berths, are set to make waves in oceans across the world when they launch during 2016; there’s the first I-MAX Theater at sea, a bionic bar, a micro-brewery, a Culinary Arts Centre and much more! 

Now in its 17^th year Musicport Festival is launching its 2016 programme which includes some of the finest major international world class acts playing alongside some of the best local and regional acts.  It is an inclusive and wide-ranging event that has all the feel of an outdoor summer festival but all indoors under one roof – there’s even an indoor camping option to complete the festival experience.

Two City of Wolverhampton Council arts and entertainment venues have scooped prestigious awards voted for by the readers of What’s On Magazine. The Slade Rooms won the What’s On Readers’ Award for Best Small Music Venue, Wolverhampton & Black Country, and Wolverhampton Art Gallery was named Best Art Gallery/Exhibition Space Outside Of Birmingham.

A major new multi-sensory experience packing a historical punch and plenty of heat will get pulses racing and temperatures rising at the London Dungeon when it opens on 21 May. Marking the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London, 'Escape the Great Fire' will recreate the drama of one of the world's most famous disasters with live actors, themed settings and sizzling special effects.

FlyOver America – a fully immersive flight experience has opened at the Mall of America. Using the most advanced flight-ride technology, the $20 million attraction provides guests with a breathtaking aerial tour of some of the nation's most popular landmarks and spectacular sights.