Latest news with #Cheer
The Courier
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Courier
Cupar's golden girls: The Nicolson and Neville sisters bring world cheerleading glory home to Fife
When Cupar cheerleader Abbie Nicolson stepped off the mat at the annual International Cheer Union (ICU) World Championships in Orlando, Florida, heart still pounding and face still flushed from the lights, the last thing on her mind was gold. Like many of her teammates on Team Scotland's adaptive abilities Cheer squad, she had come to soak in the experience. It was her first trip to the United States. She never expected to leave as a world champion. But as the judges deliberated and finally announced that Scotland had taken gold, everything changed. 'If I could bottle that up and put it in a jar and keep that forever – it was just the best feeling,' she says, her voice still catching weeks later. 'It was amazing when we got called down as being in the top three. But then the minute we got announced as the winners, my sister Emily grabbed me and gave me a big hug. We all hugged. 'I was literally living the dream from being a little girl. That was the goal. In cheerleading, you can't get any better than that. So this was literally the dream coming true.' For Abbie, 20, and Emily, 23, that golden moment was the culmination of more than a decade of training, sacrifice, and shared ambition. But they weren't alone in their celebration. Fellow Cupar natives Hannah Neville, 25, and Evan Neville, 27 – sisters, coaches, and lifelong cheerleaders themselves – were right there on the mat too. Together, the four women made history, contributing to Scotland's first-ever podium finish and gold medal. For a team of just 30 athletes, having four from the same small Fife town was remarkable. For the Cupar community, it's a point of immense pride. Both sets of sisters grew up in Cupar, attending Castlehill Primary and Bell Baxter High School. But they also grew up as next-door neighbours. Emily began cheerleading around eight years old with the local Diamond Allstars Cheer and Dance at Cupar Sports Centre, coached by Bryony-Leigh Murray. 'A few girls from school were doing it, so I thought I'd give it a go,' Emily remembers. 'I tried other activities too, but Cheer just stuck. I loved being part of a team.' Abbie was about six when she caught the Cheer bug. 'I used to tag along when mum dropped Emily off. At first, Emily was raging – she wanted something of her own,' she laughs. 'But I begged to try a class, and that was it. I was hooked.' Eventually, they moved from Diamond Allstars to Glow Extreme Cheer and Dance, a club founded and coached by none other than Hannah Neville. Hannah launched the business in October 2022. Initially a side project while at university, the club has since exploded in popularity, prompting her to go full-time by April 2023. Working with her sister Evan, she now coaches over 120 girls weekly, with a further 50 on a growing waitlist. Hannah's journey began at age two with dance, moving into Cheer by seven. She later joined Fife's gymnastics team from ages nine to 13 before returning to Cheer. Hannah lives with scoliosis – a twisted spine. The adaptive category at the ICU Worlds requires at least 25% of the team to have a disability. But this doesn't hold her back. 'I have more pain than average, but staying strong and active really helps,' she says. Other Cupar girls have gone for cheerleading glory in recent years. Hannah was there last year when they finished fourth. But to share this win with her sister and friends means so much. 'My parents, Lesley and James, are over the moon,' she adds. 'My mum has driven me across the country for years. It feels like I've made it all worth it.' It's a sentiment shared by sister Evan, who studies photography at Fife College. 'Going to the Worlds in America was a dream in itself, but doing it with the three of them made it even more incredible. I couldn't have imagined doing it with anyone else.' Selection for Team Scotland wasn't easy. Emily auditioned last summer, with training beginning in September. Abbie, who'd auditioned before Emily, was originally a reserve but stepped in just six weeks before the competition when another athlete suffered a broken knee. Even after making the team, there was constant work – training every Saturday in Glasgow, perfecting routines, pushing themselves, fundraising. Both sisters were also juggling university studies in nursing. Emily has been studying at Dundee University and Abbie at Napier in Edinburgh. The adaptive abilities category includes athletes with and without disabilities. Routines combine stunts, jumps, tumbling, and dance. 'It's like gymnastics – you're scored from the moment you step on the mat to the second the music stops,' Abbie explains. Emily specialises in stunting; Abbie does stunts, jumps, and tumbling. For both Nicolsons, it was their first time in America. People at home in Cupar watched the livestream. After advancing from the semifinals, Team Scotland waited anxiously during the final awards ceremony. The moment the gold medal was confirmed, the four Cupar girls huddled together – 'screaming, crying and jumping for total joy.' 'There's this clip from the live stream,' Emily says. 'It shows the four of us hugging, just losing it. All the years, the early mornings, the injuries, the drives to Glasgow – it was all for that moment.' Then came the medals, the national anthem, and something extra special: an ICU gold ring, awarded only to world champions. Back home in Cupar, the reaction has been euphoric. 'I was at a local dance event the other week,' Abbie says, 'and strangers were coming up to me saying congratulations, asking to see the ring. I've never experienced anything like it.' 'It's a tight-knit town,' Emily adds. 'People from my work, the university, even my nail salon – they all watched the stream. It feels like the whole of Cupar was behind us.' Cheerleading has been big in Cupar for some time. But Hannah says it's 'wild' how interest has exploded since they returned. Cupar councillor John Caffrey offered his 'hearty congratulations', adding: 'Cupar has suffered some knockbacks recently but as always it is the young people who shine through.' For four ordinary young women from a quiet corner of Fife, is the kind of achievement that reshapes dreams. It comes as the popularity of cheerleading, now recognised as an Olympic sport, continues to grow in the UK. The Nicolson and Neville sisters have shown what can happen when passion, perseverance and a powerful sense of community collide. And somewhere in Cupar, the next generation of young people is watching – and dreaming of gold.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' Season 2 Sets June Netflix Premiere Date (EXCLUSIVE)
The high kicks are back! Season 2 of the hit series 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' will premiere on Netflix June 18, giving NFL fans a unique glimpse into the lives of the 2024-25 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders squad, Variety can exclusively reveal. More from Variety Advertisers Hungry for Super Bowl, NFL in Early TV Upfront Talks Netflix's Manga Adaptation 'Bet' Isn't Worth the Gamble: TV Review Ten Takes on the Making of Netflix's Epic Series 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' Following the series' first season, which captured the unfiltered lives of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders both on and off the field, Season 2 will follow the team from auditions all the way through NFL season. Emmy Award-winning Greg Whiteley ('Cheer,' 'Last Chance U') returns to direct. When Season 1 debuted last June, it launched onto Netflix's Top 10 worldwide chart with 2.3 million views within just four days on the platform. It remained in the Top 10 U.S. TV shows for five weeks straight with moments like the 'Thunderstruck'AC/DC number going viral on TikTok. In addition to Kelli Finglass (the Senior Director, DCC) and Judy Trammell (the Head Choreographer, DCC), cheerleader Reece Weaver will be among the returning cheerleaders. 'Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' is executive produced by Whiteley and Adam Leibowitz for One Potato Productions, Andrew Fried and Dane Lillegard for Boardwalk Pictures and Ross M. Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans for Campfire Studios. Production companies include One Potato Productions and Boardwalk Pictures in association with Campfire Studios. During an interview with Variety last June, Whiteley discussed his hopes for Season 2. 'Our last two or three weeks of filming, we were just starting to hit our stride. I'd love to have more time to see if we can get deeper and deeper with more and more of the team,' Whiteley said. 'Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' joins Netflix's continued relationship with the Dallas Cowboys, including the upcoming docuseries 'America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys,' which is set to release in August. Check out first look images below. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2 OTT Release Date - When and where to watch series
America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2 OTT Release Date - The high kicks are back, and so is the drama. Netflix's hit docuseries is returning for Season 2 on June 18, 2025, giving fans another inside look at one of the NFL's most famous cheer squads. The new season will take viewers behind the scenes of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) as they go through intense auditions, gruelling training camps, and ultimately take the field during the 2024–25 NFL season. What to expect this season? America's Sweethearts Season 2 is once again directed by Greg Whiteley, the Emmy Award-winning creator behind Cheer and Last Chance U. The chapter will pick up where the first left off. From day-one hopefuls walking into auditions with big dreams to veterans fighting to keep their spot, the series will show just how much it takes to wear the DCC uniform. Returning faces include Reece Weaver, while familiar names like Kelli Finglass (Senior Director, DCC) and Judy Trammell (Head Choreographer, DCC) will also be back, playing central roles in how the squad comes together. Recap: Season 1 was a global hit America's Sweethearts' debut season, which premiered in June 2024, struck a chord with viewers worldwide. In just four days, it clocked 2.3 million views, made its way onto Netflix's Top 10 global English TV list, and stayed in the U.S. Top 10 for five weeks. The series trended in 27 countries, and moments like the 'Thunderstruck' performance set social media buzzing, especially on TikTok, where it went viral. Who's behind the series? America's Sweethearts Season 2 is produced by One Potato Productions, Boardwalk Pictures, and Campfire Studios. Executive producers include: Greg Whiteley and Adam Leibowitz (One Potato Productions) Andrew Fried and Dane Lillegard (Boardwalk Pictures) Ross M. Dinerstein and Rebecca Evans (Campfire Studios) Excited about America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Season 2? Drop your thoughts @Indiatimes.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Reality stars' prison release dates, from Julie and Todd Chrisley to a 'Housewives' star
Reality stars' prison release dates, from Julie and Todd Chrisley to a 'Housewives' star Show Caption Hide Caption 911 call of Chase Chrisley at Twin Peaks in Buckhead The son of former reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley has found himself in some legal trouble. He's accused of assaulting a bar manager at the Twin Peaks restaurant in Buckhead. Fox - 5 Atlanta A reality television to prison pipeline? It's more common than you might think. From "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah's involvement in a telemarketing scheme to the "Chrisley Knows Best" stars charges on tax evasion and bank fraud, plenty of personalities have gone from TV screens to behind bars. In at least one case, the plea for their release has reached the highest office in the land: Savannah Chrisley, daughter of disgraced reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, has appealed to President Donald Trump's administration for their pardon. Savannah, 27, spoke at the Republican National Convention in July 2025. As of May 12, 2025, the Chrisleys are still in their respective prisons. Who are the other reality stars who are serving time in prison? Here's a closer look. From Netflix to prison. 'Cheer' star Jerry Harris sentenced to 12 years for sex crimes Julie and Todd Chrisley from 'Chrisley Knows Best' It's been more than two years since Julie and Todd Chrisley began their prison sentences for bank fraud. But instead of the respective seven- and 12-year sentences, each has had their prison time slightly reduced. The Chrisleys gained fame on the USA Network reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," which followed their tight-knit, boisterous family and lavish lifestyle in Atlanta and Nashville. The show drew in more than 2 million viewers by its eighth season and inspired the spinoffs "Growing Up Chrisley" and "According to Chrisley." However, their image as savvy real estate tycoons was sullied in June 2022, when the pair was found guilty of tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. In January 2023, the Chrisleys traded their luxurious lifestyle for prison time. Prosecutors said the reality TV couple was driven by greed as they engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities. Julie Chrisley, 52, is serving her prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, with an expected release date of Jan. 8, 2028. Todd Chrisley is serving time at FPC Pensacola and is expected to be released April 7, 2032, more than two years before his original 12-year sentence was supposed to be up. Brittish Williams of VH1's 'Basketball Wives' Former "Basketball Wives" star Brittish Cierrah Williams found herself in hot legal water last year when authorities apprehended her over a series of scams. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Williams, 35, to four years in prison for committing $564,000 worth of frauds, including tax frauds, bank fraud, insurance fraud and three separate pandemic fraud schemes, according to a release from the US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri. Williams, then a radio personality in St. Louis, pleaded guilty to 15 felonies in May 2023. Williams will also be on supervised release for five years after serving time, and was ordered to pay $564,069 in restitution. She is now serving time at FCI Waseca, "a low security federal correctional institution" in Minnesota, with a release date of Dec. 24, 2025. Josh Duggar of TLC Network's '19 Kids and Counting' Josh Duggar, who rose to fame on TLC's hit show "19 Kids and Counting," was sentenced in May 2022 to 12 years in prison for downloading and possessing child pornography. The eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and a father of seven himself, Josh Duggar was found guilty in December 2021. Federal authorities said they began investigating the reality TV star after a Little Rock, Arkansas, police detective found child porn files were being shared by a computer traced to Duggar. A federal agent testified that images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers, were downloaded in 2019 onto a computer at a car dealership Duggar owned. This is not Josh Duggar's first fall from grace. "19 Kids and Counting," was canceled in 2015 following revelations that Josh Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter when he was a teen. At the time, he apologized, admitting to a porn addiction and infidelity. Duggar, 37, will be released Oct. 2, 2032. He is imprisoned at FCI Seagoville in Texas. Jerry Harris of Netflix show 'Cheer' In 2020, after gaining fame on the Netflix docuseries "Cheer," competitive cheerleading coach Jerry Harris was charged with producing child pornography. Federal court records show Harris admitted he solicited and received explicit messages on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 individuals he knew were minors; had sex with a 15-year-old boy at a cheerleading competition in 2019 and paid a 17-year-old money in exchange for nude photos. Season 2 of the hit Netflix show addressed Harris' downfall. Harris pleaded guilty in February 2022 and in July of that same year was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Harris, 25, is serving time at FMC Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky and has a projected release date of Jan. 18, 2031. Downfall of a Netflix star. How one season of 'Cheer' addressed child pornography charges against Jerry Harris Jen Shah of Bravo's 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' In January 2024, "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah was sentenced to 6½ years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a national telemarketing scheme. Judge Sidney H. Stein ruled the Bravo celebrity would spend 78 months behind bars, despite prosecutors' suggested sentence of 120 months. That's in addition to five years of supervision after her release. Shah, 50, also agreed to forfeit $6.5 million and to pay $9.5 million in restitution as part of her plea agreement. Shah, whose arrest was partially captured by Bravo's cameras, was ordered to begin her sentence Feb. 17, 2024. She is currently serving time at FPC Bryan in Texas and is expected to be released Sept. 19, 2026. Charles 'Todd' Hill of HGTV's 'Flip It to Win It' Former HGTV star Charles "Todd" Hill turned from celebrity fixer-upper to disgraced real estate criminal, when authorities charged him with committing real estate and financial fraud. Hill, 59, was sentenced to four years in jail and ordered to pay back close to $10 million for committing fraud against 11 victims, according to a news release from the County of Santa Clara Office of the District Attorney in California. The "Flip It to Win It" star was convicted in 2023 of multiple fraud schemes. On the show Hill would buy dilapidated homes, fix them up and sell them for a profit. Instead, "Hill spent millions on overbudget remodels, laundered profits and pocketed millions in fraudulently obtained money," the news release stated. He was indicted in November 2019, then convicted by plea on Sept. 27, 2023, of grand theft against all victims. He was ordered to pay back $9,402,678 in restitution and serve 10 years on probation. Hill is currently serving time at FCI Oakdale and will be released March 22, 2037. Contributing: Amy Haneline, Maria Puente, Elise Brisco, Marisa Kwiatkowski and Tricia L. Nadolny, USA TODAY
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Julie and Todd Chrisley, 'Real Housewives,' reality stars: Who will be released from prison in 2025
For some reality stars, life was not at all like a TV show when they found themselves in legal trouble. From "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" Jen Shah's involvement in a telemarketing scheme, to "Chrisley Knows Best" stars sentenced for tax evasion and bank fraud, TV personalities have gone from TV screens to behind bars. In at least one case, the plea for their release has reached the highest office in the land: Savannah Chrisley, daughter of disgraced reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, has appealed to President Donald Trump's administration for their pardon. As of May 9, 2025, the Chrisleys are still in their respective prisons, though daughter Savannah Chrisley was a guest speaker at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2024, ahead of the 2024 presidential election. In another case, a reality star convicted of fraud charges will be released from prison a little early − right around the 2025 holiday season, though the original release date was for two years later. Here's a list of reality stars who are serving time in prison, the crimes in which they were convicted and when they will presumably be released. From Netflix to prison. 'Cheer' star Jerry Harris sentenced to 12 years for sex crimes It's been more than two years since Julie and Todd Chrisley began their prison sentences for bank fraud. But instead of the respective seven- and 12-year sentences, each has had their prison time slightly reduced. The Chrisleys, who portrayed themselves as real estate tycoons, gained fame with their USA Network reality show "Chrisley Knows Best," which followed their tight-knit, boisterous family and the Chrisleys' lavish lifestyle in Atlanta and Nashville. The show drew in more than 2 million viewers by its eighth season and inspired spin-offs such as "Growing Up Chrisley" and "According to Chrisley." In June 2022, Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of tax evasion and defrauding community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. In January 2023, the Chrisleys traded their luxurious lifestyle for prison time. Prosecutors said the reality TV couple was driven by greed as they engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities. Julie Chrisley, 52, is serving her prison sentence at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, with a release date of Jan. 8, 2028, according to a May 9, 2025, Bureau of Prisons record check. Her husband Todd Chrisley is serving time at FPC Pensacola, described on its site as a "minimum security federal prison camp." A May 9, 2025, check online shows Todd Chrisley will be released April 7, 2032, more than two years earlier than his original 12-year sentence. On Oct. 24, 2023, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced former "Basketball Wives" star Brittish Cierrah Williams to four years in prison for committing $564,000 worth of frauds, including tax frauds, bank fraud, insurance fraud and three separate pandemic fraud schemes, according to a release from the US Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Missouri. In May 2023, Williams, then 33 and a radio personality in St. Louis, pleaded guilty to 15 felonies. Williams also will be on supervised release for five years after serving time, and Autrey ordered her to pay $564,069 in restitution. The 35-year-old former "Basketball Wives" star is an inmate of FCI Waseca, "a low security federal correctional institution" in Minnesota, with a release date of Dec. 24, 2025, or Christmas Eve, according to a May 9, 2025, BOP records check. That's nearly two years earlier than had been listed by federal officials in 2024. Josh Duggar rose to fame in TLC's hit show "19 Kids and Counting." In May 2022, the eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar was sentenced to 12 years in prison for downloading and possessing child pornography. A father of seven himself, Josh Duggar was found guilty in December 2021. According to a USA TODAY story, federal authorities said they began investigating the reality TV star after a Little Rock, Arkansas, police detective found child porn files were being shared by a computer traced to Duggar. A federal agent testified that images depicting the sexual abuse of children, including toddlers, were downloaded in 2019 onto a computer at a car dealership Duggar owned. "19 Kids and Counting" chronicled the lives of the Duggars. The series was canceled in 2015 following revelations that Josh Duggar had molested four of his sisters and a babysitter when he was a young teen. At that time, he admitted to a porn addiction and cheating on his wife, and apologized. The series inspired a TLC spinoff, "Counting On," from the perspective of Josh Duggar's sisters and their young families, but that show was canceled in June 2021 following Josh Duggar's arrest. A May 9, 2025, Bureau of Prisons check online shows Josh Duggar, 37, will be released Oct. 2, 2032. He is imprisoned at FCI Seagoville in Texas. In 2020, Jerry Harris gained fame for the Netflix docuseries "Cheer." That same year, the competitive cheerleading coach was featured on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and attended Vanity Fair's Oscar party. In September 2020, authorities charged Harris with producing child pornography. According to USA TODAY, federal court records show Harris admitted he solicited and received explicit messages on Snapchat from at least 10 to 15 individuals he knew were minors; had sex with a 15-year-old boy at a cheerleading competition in 2019; and paid a 17-year-old money in exchange for nude photos. Season two of the hit Netflix show addressed Harris' downfall. Harris pleaded guilty in February 2022. In July 2022, Harris was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for soliciting sex from minors and pressuring young boys to send him nude photos and videos. Like "Chrisley Knows Best" star Julie Chrisley, Jerry Harris reported to FMC Lexington in Lexington, Kentucky, for his prison sentence. A May 9, 2025, record check shows the 25-year-old Jeremiah Harris has a release date of Jan. 18, 2031. Downfall of a Netflix star. How one season of 'Cheer' addressed child pornography charges against Jerry Harris In January 2024, Jen Shah, one of the stars of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" on Bravo, was sentenced to 6½ years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. Judge Sidney H. Stein ruled the Bravo celebrity would spend 78 months behind bars, despite prosecutors' suggested sentence of 120 months, for fraud conspiracy after she admitted to participating in a nationwide telemarketing scheme. That's in addition to five years of supervision after her release. Shah also agreed to forfeit $6.5 million and to pay $9.5 million in restitution as part of her plea agreement. Shah was ordered to begin her sentence Feb. 17, 2024. Her arrest was partially captured by Bravo's cameras. The 50-year-old reality TV star is serving time at FPC Bryan in Texas, a "minimum security federal prison camp," with a release date of Sept. 19, 2026, according to a May 9, 2025, Federal Bureau of Prisons records check. On April 16, 2024, former HGTV star Charles "Todd" Hill of Los Gatos, California, was remanded and sentenced to four years in jail. Hill also was ordered to pay back close to $10 million for committing real estate and financial fraud against 11 victims, according to a news release from the County of Santa Clara (California) Office of the District Attorney. The "Flip It to Win It" star on the home and garden television network was convicted in 2023 of multiple fraud schemes. In "Flip It to Win It," Hill would buy dilapidated homes, fix them up and sell them for a profit. Instead, "Hill spent millions on overbudget remodels, laundered profits and pocketed millions in fraudulently obtained money," the news release states. Hill was indicted in November 2019, then convicted by plea on Sept. 27, 2023, of grand theft against all victims. He was ordered to pay back $9,402,678 in restitution and serve 10 years on probation. A May 9, 2025, records check shows the 59-year-old Charles Hill will be released from FCI Oakdale on March 22, 2037. Contributing: Amy Haneline, Maria Puente, Elise Brisco, Marisa Kwiatkowski and Tricia L. Nadolny, USA TODAY Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Todd and Julie Chrisley, 'Basketball Wives' star in prison for fraud
