Latest news with #'sGotTalent
Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Toronto's First-Ever Cinematic Drone Show Lands at Fort York This Summer
The Origin of Light redefines live performance with a luminous fusion of drone storytelling, orchestral sound, and immersive visual art — in a once-in-a-lifetime open-air spectacle. TORONTO, July 17, 2025 /CNW/ - On August 19, the skies above Fort York will come alive like never before. The Origin of Light — a groundbreaking collaboration between Illumin Drone Shows and Portal Nine Experiences — will transform Toronto's skyline into a living narrative told through hundreds of precision drones, a 15-piece live orchestra, and soul-stirring vocals. This one-night-only event is more than a show — it's a cinematic revelation in the sky. Illumin Drone Shows, fresh off their Canada's Got Talent finale, leads the charge with breathtaking aerial formations that depict the journey of Lyra, a celestial being rising from silence through darkness and into light. The story unfolds high above the audience in choreographed light and motion, set against a sweeping score performed by the Ontario Pops Orchestra under Maestro Carlos Bastidas. Vocalists — including Filipina-Canadian artist Arlene Paculan — bring emotional resonance to the performance, grounding the spectacle in raw human feeling. "This isn't just a drone show — it's a sensory pilgrimage," says Christian Ilumin, founder of Illumin Drone Shows. "We designed every moment to hit like cinema — to surround you, move you, and leave you changed." "This is a return to wonder," adds co-creator Lianne Baron of Portal Nine. "It's a modern myth told through the elements — sky, sound, and story — inside one of Toronto's most sacred spaces." With limited capacity and rare approval to stage inside Fort York's inner walls, The Origin of Light is expected to be one of the summer's most unforgettable cultural events.
Filipino Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Filipino Times
Filipino youth dance group BKIDZZZ represents UAE at World Supremacy Battlegrounds 2025
Proudly standing as the only all-Filipino kids group of UAE residents, BKIDZZZ made its international debut this year at the World Supremacy Battlegrounds 2025 held in Dubai. The dance group, composed of children aged 6 to 12, proudly represented the UAE in the Junior Division, competing against eight other participants from Australia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, and Africa at the championship. Christy Angel Gelena, the same creative force behind We Are One UAE and Fuzion Movement, which are empowering expat youth through the arts, said: 'Since 2024, BKIDZZZ has quickly earned recognition for its explosive performances, discipline, and passion. Their journey symbolizes not just the power of dance, but the heart, hustle, and heritage of the Filipino community in the UAE.' Their track record includes championship titles from St. Mary's Got Talent, and standout performances at BurJuman Rising Star, Kalayaan Main Stage, MOTB, and Seoul My Soul. Representing the UAE at WSB 2025: Zireh Athena G. Esquivel Stephanie Jean P. De Guzman Angela Jewel A. Omega Austineth Jaustine L. Burgos Celine Madison C. Matondo Leianna Samara C. Julaton Alexandria Melisse Apolinario Raphaella Grey Roque Morata Rhoven Azriel Vinuya Chloe Tria Tagle BKIDZZZ' goal is to keep families connected and kids inspired—giving them a space to grow, dream and shine on world-class stages.
The 42
5 days ago
- Sport
- The 42
The Brisbane school where ex-Leinster man Brad Thorn coaches
IT'S TUESDAY AFTERNOON on the main pitch at Brisbane Boys' College and Brad Thorn is putting the First XV through their paces. 'I wanna hear the wind come out of the pad,' shouts Thorn in his distinctive gravelly voice as the players work on their tackle technique. They soon move onto chop tackles and jackaling at the breakdown. Thorn gets involved, showing a couple of the teenage players exactly how they can sharpen their skills. He's 50 now, but Thorn still looks like he could do it in top-level rugby. The 2011 World Cup winner, 59-cap All Black, former rugby league star, and ex-Leinster man has seen and done it all in rugby, but watching him coaching a busy session with Brisbane Boys' College is proof that Thorn still loves his rugby. He finished as head coach of Super Rugby's Queensland Reds in 2023 and has been working as an assistant coach with 'BBC' for the last two years. All three of his sons have come through the school, so there was a strong connection. Down the other end of the pitch, head coach Dan Leo, the man who convinced Thorn to get involved, is overseeing some attack plays. Former Samoa, Wasps, and Perpignan lock Leo is another highly-experienced figure who commands respect from the players. Leo bumped into Thorn in a coffee shop in Brisbane just after the latter had finished as Reds head coach and now, early in his own coaching career, Leo is delighted to have him on board. Thorn leads a scrum session. The 42 The 42 'Brad is a Queensland legend in two codes,' says Leo. 'To have someone of his calibre bringing us all along has been awesome. 'I'm only three years into my coaching journey, so having Brad's guidance has been massive.' Also involved is former Rebels, London Irish, and Gloucester scrum-half Ben Meehan, who only recently finished his professional career and works with the BBC backs and attack. Mason Gordon, who played Super Rugby with the Rebels and Reds but was forced to retire this year at the age of 22 due to concussion, is lending a hand. He was the out-half last time BBC won a title in 2020. Now, he's working with young players who hope to follow in his footsteps. After everyone comes together for 15-a-side games, Thorn gets his hands on the forwards again for a short, sharp scrummaging session. He pushes them hard, but they're big boys and seem to be well able for the demands. 'What's that talent show with the guy Simon… Britain's Got Talent, yeah,' says Thorn as we sit on one of the pitchside stands after the session. 'He's always the one that's a bit, you know, hard to please. But everyone wants to hear his score, don't they? 'When I started last year, I was probably the scarier guy, but I formed some good bonds. 'And I believe in young men. So these guys are 17 or 18. There was World War 1, World War 2, guys who were 17 or 18 fighting in World Wars, so I've got a lot of belief in young men and I feel like when they're challenged, they rise. 'Challenging is part of my coaching. We have standards and we have a laugh and a good time as well. But yeah, when it's business time, we're into it.' One of BBC's hookers working with Mason Gordon. The 42 The 42 There are some highly talented players in BBC's First XV, which the school has high hopes for this year. Eight of them played for the Queensland Reds U18s, also coached by Leo, while two of them are in the Australia U18s set-up. Coaches and team-mates alike congratulate outside centre Taione Taka when he arrives for training. Taka has just signed a two-year deal with the Reds. He will be kicking on into pro rugby upon leaving school. Meanwhile, there are commiserations for halfback Isaac Kefu, the son of Wallabies legend Toutai. Sadly for Isaac, he has suffered an ACL injury. But they're confident he will pick up where he left off when he gets back. Stuart Mitchell, the school's experienced director of athletic development, explains how advanced some of these young men are. BBC have a couple of props weighing in at over 130kg, some loose forwards nearing 110kg, and several lightning-quick backs. It's clear the young players are deeply committed to their rugby. 'Character over everything,' reads a banner on the far side of the pitch and this is something that drew Thorn back from professional coaching. 'I finished at the Reds and if I want to be coaching professional rugby, I'm gonna have to leave the state or leave the country,' says Thorn. 'Brisbane's my home, I've got kids at school, all that sort of stuff. The other option is in schools or club rugby. Now, they're not big-paying jobs, but I thought I might have a break – I've done 30 years of professional sport. 'There's real purity with the school level, the players are in a learning environment for 12 years, so they pick things up pretty quickly. They don't have bad habits, they don't really have habits yet, and they put a good amount of effort into their rugby.' Thorn works with the players on their breakdown skills. The 42 The 42 There are lots of players with Pacific Islands backgrounds in BBC and that's something Leo is passionate about, having worked with the Pacific Rugby Players Welfare organisation for nearly a decade. Brisbane Boys' College is one of the nine fee-paying schools that make up the annual Great Public Schools Association of Queensland competition, the GPS. Along with a similar competition in New South Wales, the Brisbane GPS is a serious breeding ground for pro rugby players, both in union and in league. In fact, rugby league has started placing talented players into GPS schools, paying their fees so they can develop in these elite schools even if they're playing union. There is also a growing number of foreign clubs taking a keen interest. 'This year there's been four or five boys [from GPS schools] who have been signed by French clubs,' says Leo, whose two young sons are in BBC's junior school. Advertisement 'From this school, a number of boys have already been in conversations with Japanese, French, and Italian clubs to go straight after school.' Leo, Thorn, and BBC director of rugby Welmar du Plessis do their best to offer the players guidance and advice, with their experience in the game valuable. Du Plessis is a busy man, overseeing the entire programme from 10-year-old players up to the First XV, as well as coaching the Reds U16s. Everything in BBC is aligned, with teams using the same rugby terminology throughout the different levels. As well as assisting Leo with the First XV, Thorn runs the 'Tartan academy.' That runs each morning, with Thorn and Gordon working closely with players on their individual core skills and game understanding from the age of 10. Du Plessis explains that the Brisbane Boys' College set-up is about helping the boys to develop habits that apply to the rest of their education and lives after school. They also hope to instil a love of rugby that means players don't stop rugby after leaving BBC. Head coach Dan Leo keeps a watchful eye over proceedings. The 42 The 42 'Not everyone can play professional footy,' says du Plessis. 'But you can still play with your mates or you can still kick on and play at a decent level at Premier Grade and Colts [in club rugby]. 'It's important for their mental health and to feel connected with an environment and a community. Even for the guys that don't play professionally, they still feel that love of the game.' Paul Woodford, the school's head of co-curricular for all sports and competitive activities, is originally from the UK and has been blown away by the scale of the GPS competition since arriving in Brisbane. Crowds of more than 5,000 supporters pack in at BBC for their big matches, with the team running out onto the pitch through a tunnel of bagpipe players. 'It's just such a spectacle,' says Woodford. Other Brisbane schools like Nudgee and Churchie have won far more GPS Premiership titles, but BBC believe they have a very strong team this year. The campaign kicks off on Saturday with a visit to Toowoomba Grammar School, then it's into what Leo calls a 'sprint' of a season. The GPS schools all play each other over the course of nine weekends, with one bye each, and the team at the top of the table at the end is the champion. If two sides are level, they share the Premiership. No school has ever lost their opening game and won the title. Current Wallabies centre Len Ikitau came through BBC, as did the legendary Will Genia, former Australia captain James Horwill, and the likes of Tom Banks and the Gordon brothers, Carter and Mason. Rugby league legend Dane Gagai is also among its alumni. Some of the current crop might end up in league, but BBC only play union. The BBC U16s train on the far pitch. Having a Samoa legend like Leo as their head coach is undoubtedly inspiring, as is the presence of Thorn. The New Zealand native moved to Australia with his family when he was young and initially broke into professional rugby league with the Brisbane Broncos before switching into union to play for the All Blacks, going back to league for a couple of years, then finishing his career in union. He's a Kiwi who calls Australia home but it turns out that Thorn is partly Irish too. Last year, his family dug into Thorn's ancestry with one of the online services that traces generations back. He knew he had some English and Scottish roots, correctly assumed he had some Nordic ancestry, but there was also surprise for him. 'Lo and behold, 20% from my mother's side, Irish,' says Thorn with a smile. 'So one-fifth of me is Irish. I was actually pumped when I saw it and I went, 'Maybe that's why I connected so well there.'' Thorn had a huge impact on Leinster in a short space of time. He came in on a three-month contract in 2012 and helped Joe Schmidt's side to the Heineken Cup, as well as leaving a big mark on key players like Johnny Sexton. Thorn raves about Sexton's competitive spirit and how he never allowed standards in Leinster to drop. He's not surprised to see the former Ireland out-half in Australia now with the Lions. Brian O'Driscoll and Brad Thorn with the 2012 Heineken Cup. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo And that time in Leinster was one of his happiest spells in rugby. 'It's one of my favourite times,' says Thorn. 'I played eight games, plus one A game. 'I had a natural connection with the guys. When I turned up, I said to Joe, 'My goal is to give more than what you expect. I want to give more, so I'm here to serve, on and off the field. I wanna contribute and I'm here to give more than what you've asked.' 'I had great friendships with the big names and the academy boys. I just love people and I love seeing people do well. I get more joy out of having an impact on someone where they can achieve and do well.' Leinster needed a big man and Thorn did that job, plus a bit more. He has particularly fond memories of the 'war' against Clermont in the Heineken Cup semi-final in Bordeaux. 'I really loved those guys and loved that time. The coolest thing is I get to be part of history in Leinster for all time now because we won a title. That crew, we got some business done. 'I'll always have fond memories about my time there and I just love those guys. And they probably never heard from me, 'cause I can be a bit like that. 'I just quietly do my thing.' Away from the limelight in Brisbane, that much hasn't changed with Thorn.
The Irish Sun
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Britain's Got Talent TikTok stars who got engaged during live semifinals hit back at ‘fix' rumours
TIKTOK stars who got engaged during Britain's Got Talent's live semifinals have hit back at 'fix' rumours. It came as the last remaining semi-finalists performed for a place in next week's final. 4 TikTok stars who got engaged on BGT have addressed "fix" rumours Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 4 Jess' boyfriend Harry appeared in a VT with magician Harry Moulding Credit: ITV 4 He then proceeded to propose in an emotional moment Credit: ITV Viewers called out a "fix" as Harry Moulding pulled off an KSI . Not all viewers were convinced of the moment's authenticity - and shared their thoughts online. Jess, who was proposed to, is a TikTok star with more than 80,000 followers on the platform. A fan wrote under one of her recent posts: "Hope you're ok after the backlash. Read more on BGT "Hope you both know the general public just hate on everything." To which Jess replied: "Some comments have really made me laugh. I was in on my own proposal apparently, madness. "I'm in a complete bubble of shock and happiness and nothing can bring me down from cloud 9." A pre-recorded VT in Paris saw Harry Moulding predict a proposal - and he met another lad named Harry. Most read in Reality Jess - the other Harry's girlfriend - was sat in the BGT audience and was "randomly" chosen to get up on stage and play the pre-recorded video. Her partner then appeared on stage in the Hammersmith auditorium andgot down on one knee. Britain's Got Talent fix row erupts as magic act is called 'biggest set up ever' after live marriage proposal Jess was left in tears as she said 'yes', leaving the judges and the presenters on their feet. But people at home were very suspicious over the "trick" and branded it a "set up". One said: "It was very obvious that the fiancee was in on the trick. He did not bring in an engagement ring randomly. So this seat number was forced. "Was Jessie also in on it? I'd like to believe she was set up for a romantic surprise, but she specified Paris , so I think she was a plant. The other seat numbers appear to also be plants ." Another wrote: "There were no tricks in that performance, every single aspect was clearly staged, no talent or skill involved in any of it. "It was a complete set up by the show pretending to be an original act from a magician. Britain's Got Talent's biggest 'fix' rows Britain's Got Talent has been plagued with 'fix' rows over the years. How many of these do you remember? Jasmine Elcock - 2016: Teenage singer Jasmine Elcock stunned the nation with her version of Cher's Believe. But it then transpired she had already performed professionally in London's West End. Jasmine, 14, admitted: "I've performed in Annie in the West End at about the age of nine or 10, but I really get nervous." IrShad Shaikh - 2017: BGT fans were left questioning the rule book when IrShad Shaikh auditioned. Colin Thackery - 2019: Elderly war veteran Colin won BGT in 2019, but Axel Blake - 2022: Comedian Axel Blake was given a Golden Buzzer in 2022 after making the judges laugh. But fans were fuming when they discovered Singer Taryn Charles is one of this year's hopefuls lucky enough to receive the Golden Buzzer. Bruno Tonilio put her straight through to the semi-finals following her performance of (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by "I know the show takes the p*** a lot but come on, that was complete b******s." It comes as another BGT star Meanwhile, fans thought Britain's Got Talent airs on ITV1 and ITVX. 4 Semi-finalist Harry Moulding received a Golden Buzzer for the act Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
The Irish Sun
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Love Island star stuns fans as she teams up with Take That member for charity gig
LOVE Island winner Paige Turley has stunned fans after teaming up with a hunky boyband member. Scottish beauty Paige, 27, was pictured with 5 Love Island star Paige joined forces with Howard Donald Credit: Instagram 5 The star showed off her dress for the occasion Credit: Instagram Paige and Howard joined forces for the Big Shiny Disco Brunch, along with a whole host of popular drag queens. "What a gig with @bigshinydiscobrunch & @howarddonald for the @catherinemcewanfoundation," Paige penned in the caption of the post where she posed with Howard. In the first snap, Paige could be seen sitting on a sofa beside Howard as they beamed for the camera. Posing with the Take That hunk, Paige was wearing a black and white vest t-shirt and had her legs on display. Read More about Love Island In other snaps from her photo dump, Paige could be seen performing on stage in a glittery red frock. Commenting on her Instagram post, one fan said: "What a great day. You were fabulous as always Paige." Another gushed: "You Look great Paige." "Very lucky girl lol," swooned another. Most read in Love Island A fourth then wrote: "Amazing. I love Howard." While a fifth penned: "Noooo , your so lucky!! Howard." Love Island's Anton Danyluk and Paige Turley has fun at Pride of Scotland Awards Although Paige is famed for starring on Love Island, she is also known for having participated in Britain's Got Talent in 2012. Both Paige and her ex have now moved on with their respective partners. Earlier in the year, Paige looked happier than ever as she showed off her new man at an event. 5 The star is a singer as well as an influencer Credit: Splash 5 Paige rose to fame on Love Island in 2020 Credit: Rex 5 Howard is well loved for being part of Take That Credit: AFP Love Island winners - where they are now EVERY year Love Island opens its doors to more sexy Islanders who are hoping for a holiday romance that could turn into more. Here we take you through all of the 2025 - The second series of All Stars saw STATUS: Still together. 2024 - The summer Love Island saw and Josh Oyinsan were STATUS: Broken up. 2024 - The first ever All stars spin off show was STATUS: Still together. 2023 - STATUS: Broken up. 2023 - The first series of 2023 saw STATUS: Still together. 2022 - STATUS: Broken up. 2021 - STATUS: Still together. 2020 - The first ever winter Love Island saw STATUS: Broken up. 2019 - Series 5 saw STATUS: Broken up. 2018 - It wasn't surprising fan favourites STATUS: Broken up. 2017 - STATUS: Broken up. 2016 - Nathan Massey and Cara De La Hoyde were together from the start of the series, and since they won the show they've had two kids and are married. STATUS: Still together. 2015 - Despite poor STATUS: Broken up. Talking about how they met, she told The Sun: 'We knew of each other already and we're from the same area so had known of each other for a couple of years. 'But then I was in Ibiza in June with some friends and so was he, and we got together as all our friends knew each other.' Paige had She shared photos with a mystery man in a plunging dress at the time, but he's now been confirmed as her new boyfriend. In the post, she shared a series of ten pics and captioned it: "Some moments recently with my fave people!!"
