Latest news with #Crossroads
The Star
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Singaporean actor Li Nanxing on reuniting with Chow Yun Fat at Star Awards
For Singaporean actor Li Nanxing, attending Star Awards 2025 on July 6 after a 10-year absence was a chance to catch up with old friends and colleagues. But the most memorable reunion came in the form of the 30th anniversary edition's special guest, Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat, who was on hand to present awards – just like he did at the inaugural ceremony in 1994. Back then, Chow famously remarked that Li resembled him, adding: 'Please don't come to Hong Kong, or else I will not be able to make movies any more.' At Star Awards 2025, Chow, 70, called out 60-year-old Li's name twice, when he rallied local actors from the 1994 batch to go onstage for a wefie. Li was also the first artiste to receive a hug from Chow. Li said it was the pair's first reunion since 1994, but they did not get to chat offstage as Chow was 'very busy'. Li recalled: 'So many people wanted to take a photo with him, and I felt so lucky to have been called. 'I have always looked up to Chow and have seen so many of his movies. In some ways, I did try to learn from him. So for him to remember me three decades later, it meant a lot to me. I consider him more a friend than an idol.' Li was speaking to The Straits Times on July 14 at the new Jurong Point outlet of home-grown restaurant brand Nan Yang Dao, which officially opens on July 25. Li revealed more of his plans to celebrate his 40 years in showbiz, after debuting in the 1986 Chinese-language drama Crossroads. On Nov 29, he will hold a 40th anniversary event in Shanghai, China, with an estimated 800 fans, including those from Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. He also plans to join a Huangpu River Cruise to admire the nighttime scenery together with attendees of an eight-day Jiangnan Gourmet Autumn Tour, departing from Singapore on Nov 23 and organised by local tour agency SA Tours. During the event, he might shake fans' hands, sign autographs and even belt out a number or two. 'It all depends on what requests they have. Maybe it is to sing some theme songs or act out certain roles? I just want to thank my fans for their support all these years. 'Did you know many fans in China like Mediacorp dramas?' he shared, namedropping his period drama The Great Conspiracy (1993), which was partly filmed in the Chinese province of Shanxi and in which he played Shen Chong, a killer skilled in martial arts. Li added: 'In China, old television series are often replayed. I was once welcomed by Chinese fans with banners saying 'Shen Chong is back', and they told me they had seen the show on television just a few years ago.' 'Other fans in China who watched it when it first aired are now aunties. But they bring their children and grandchildren – three generations – to see me, and it is great. They give me lots of local products, such as tea and peanuts, and I have to book a van to take all of it back to my hotel.' Reflecting on his four-decade career, Li said there were lows, like when viewers made 'hurtful' comments about him portraying villains in dramas such as Coup De Scorpion (1999). In any case, acting has taught him much about life, while allowing him space to play and experiment. He recently played a cash-strapped single father in the family drama Uniquely Ours (2024), and will return to the small screen as a disgraced doctor in dystopian thriller series The Leftovers , set to premiere in October 2026. Outside of the entertainment industry, Li remains passionate about his other businesses. He established artiste management company LNX Global in 2003, which manages actresses Constance Song and Vivian Lai, actor Shane Pow, UFM100.3 DJ Luo Kemin and actress-influencer Julie Tan. In 2021, he opened dessert shop Tian Wang, now located in Keong Saik Road, where he has been spotted playing cashier and waiter. In addition, he has collaborated with other F&B businesses over the years, such as Chinese hotpot chain Chamoon Hot Pot on a bak kut teh broth in 2024, and casual restaurant chain Yun Nans on a number of spring menu dishes in 2021. He said: 'I love cooking. And food is something I feel very strongly about, especially Nanyang cuisine, which has a distinctive Singaporean flavour. I love going to other countries to spread awareness about our food. And whether it is in food, acting or life, there is still a lot more to learn, experience and enjoy.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Business Insider
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Britney Spears has 2 kids, sons Sean and Jayden. Here's what to know.
Britney Spears shares two kids with her ex-husband Kevin Federline: Sean, 19, and Jayden, 18. In 2008, before Spears' conservatorship began, Federline was granted full custody of their sons. Spears dedicated her 2023 memoir to her two kids. In 2023, Britney Spears dedicated her memoir, " The Woman in Me," to the loves of her life — her kids. The pop icon, 43, shares two sons with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline: Sean Preston Federline, 19, and Jayden James Federline, 18. Although Federline was given full custody in 2008, Spears has recently gushed about her grown-up sons and shared updates about them on social media. Here's everything you need to know about Sean and Jayden. Spears gave birth to her eldest son, Sean Preston, four days before her and Kevin Federline's first wedding anniversary Three months after they met, Spears married rapper and dancer Kevin Federline on September 18, 2004, at a private home in Studio City, California. Spears told People shortly after the wedding that she was excited to be a mother. "I can see myself as a mom. Next year, at 23, I am so there," she said at the time. On September 14, 2005, four days before the couple's first wedding anniversary, Spears gave birth to a son, Sean Preston. At the time, Federline had two children with his ex-partner, Shar Jackson, whom he separated from in 2004. While Sean's birth marked the arrival of Spears' first child, it wasn't her first pregnancy. The " Crossroads" star revealed in her memoir that she had an abortion while dating Justin Timberlake between 1999 and 2002. Spears and Federline's second son, Jayden James, was born a year later Eight weeks after Spears gave birth to Jayden on September 12, 2006, she filed for divorce from Federline, citing irreconcilable differences. They reached an initial divorce settlement in March 2007, agreeing to share custody of their children. However, according to People, Federline resisted signing the papers over concerns about Spears' behavior. At the time, the "Toxic" singer was in rehab. They eventually finalized the divorce in July of that year. Federline was given full custody of the children after Spears' public breakdown in 2007 After making headlines for shaving her head and swinging an umbrella at paparazzi — both of which were caught on camera — Federline was given temporary custody of the couple's sons by an LA court in October 2007. In January 2008, People reported that Spears was put on lockdown for a mental evaluation after locking herself in a room with her youngest son, Jayden. The Los Angeles court awarded sole custody to Federline and suspended Spears' visitation rights. In February 2008, the "Circus" singer's father petitioned a court to place Spears under a temporary conservatorship. This became permanent in October of the same year. Spears made her first and only red carpet appearance with her sons in 2013 After the event, she posted on X, then known as Twitter: "Awww! #Smurfs2 was super cute. The boys loved it." —Britney Spears 🌹🚀 (@britneyspears) July 28, 2013 Sean and Jayden also accompanied their mom to the 2015 Teen Choice Awards, where they took photos backstage with Spears' style icon award. In 2016, Spears penned a tribute to her boys and called them her 'masterpieces' For a short essay published in Time, Spears wrote about her love for her sons. "You are my masterpieces. From the day I saw the most precious eyes, I believed in miracles to the core. Such a gift God has given me, exploring in your beautiful worlds every day," she wrote. "I pray as a mother I teach you strength and passion to carry through the struggles in the world," she continued. Spears has continued to gush about her sons in social media posts On her Instagram page, Spears has shared many photos and captions dedicated to her boys. In August 2019, she commemorated their trip to Disneyland with a photograph of the three of them smiling in the amusement park. "Great time at Disneyland today," she wrote. "My boys are older now, so they don't like their picture taken ever ... so I was thrilled today when they said SURE !!!!! Such a great place !!!!!" View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maria River Red (@britneyspears) In March 2021, she shared another photo of the three of them standing in a field at sunset. In the caption, she marveled at how tall they both were getting. "It's so crazy how time flies .... My boys are so big now," she wrote in part. "I'm extremely lucky because my two babies are such gentleman and so kind that I must have done something right 🙊 !!!! I haven't posted pictures of them for some time cause they're at the age where they want to express their own identities and I totally get it." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maria River Red (@britneyspears) Sean and Jayden skipped Spears' wedding to Sam Asghari in June 2022 At the time, an attorney for their father told People the boys didn't want to take the spotlight from their mother by attending, but were "happy" for the married couple. However, three months later, Jayden said during an interview with " 60 Minutes Australia" that he felt uncomfortable accepting his mom's invitation because she hadn't invited other members of the family. "I'm really happy for them, but she didn't invite the whole family," the teenager said. "And then if it was just gonna be me and Preston, I just don't see how that situation would have ended on good terms." (Spears and Asghari divorced in 2023.) In September 2022, Jayden said that his relationship with his mom could be 'fixed' if she gets 'better mentally' Speaking to ITV News, Spears' youngest son explained why he and his brother didn't go to their mom's wedding. "At the time, it just wasn't a good time to go. I'm not saying that I'm not happy for her," Jayden said. The teenager said in the interview that his relationship with his mom "100%" could be "fixed." "It's just going to take a lot of time and effort. I just want her to get better mentally," he continued. "When she gets better I really want to see her again." Later that month, Spears said 'a huge part' of her died when she lost custody of her sons Less than two weeks after Jayden's comments, Spears shared a series of audio clips on Instagram, including one in which she spoke about her sense of loss after losing custody of her children. "From when they were 6 to 9 years old, I had them 70% of the time, and of course, since they've been gone, I've honestly felt like a huge part of me has died," she said in one of the clips. "Like, literally, have no purpose anymore. They were my joy. They were my everything. I looked forward to seeing them. That was what I lived for and then all of sudden they were gone and I was like, 'Did my heart just stop beating?'" In the summer of 2023, Sean and Jayden moved from Los Angeles to Hawaii with their father In May, Federline's lawyer, Vincent Kaplan, told People that Spears had "consented" to Sean and Jayden moving to Hawaii with their father and his wife, Victoria Prince. Kaplan said the boys were "ready to get away from the LA microscope," and that the move to Hawaii was a great opportunity for them to do so. In her memoir, Spears writes that she stopped challenging her conservatorship so that she could spend time with her children In "The Woman in Me," Spears recalls her experience under her court-ordered 13-year conservatorship and why she decided to go along with it following her hospitalizations. "After being held down on a gurney, I knew they could restrain my body any time they wanted to. And so I went along with it," she writes. Spears writes that she complied so as not to ruin her chances of seeing her sons. "My freedom in exchange for naps with my children — it was a trade I was willing to make," Spears writes. In 2024, Sean and Jayden spent Christmas with their mom View this post on Instagram A post shared by XILA MARIA RIVER RED (@britneyspears) The year after her memoir was published, Spears shared that she had the "best Christmas of my life" alongside a video with her sons. "I haven't seen my boys in 2 years !!! Tears of joy and literally in shock everyday koo koo crazy so in love and blessed !!!" Spears wrote on Instagram. "I'm speechless thank you Jesus !!!" Spears has continued to gush about her sons on social media, calling them "incredibly sweet and charming" in a post from April 2025. "Mamas don't get enough credit at all these days !!! I mean just saying !!! I made a person !!! A live breathing person and I made two of them !!!" she wrote.
South Wales Argus
09-07-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly council leader survives no-confidence vote
Cllr Sean Morgan 'ignored the request of the majority of councillors' when his cabinet agreed the closures in May, Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Lindsay Whittle alleged. Members of a scrutiny committee had earlier recommended the closures be deferred so community groups could explore taking over the at-risk sites. Some 13 Plaid or independent members also signed Cllr Whittle's notice of motion, which called on Cllr Morgan to resign, at a meeting held on Tuesday July 1. But the ensuing debate became a sorry state of affairs, frequently derailed by party political squabbling and heckling. Caerphilly woman denies sexually touching 15-year-old boy Serial shoplifter banned from supermarket strikes again Man banned from keeping mammals after dog lost its eye No sooner had the signatories started to air their grievances than Labour backbenchers launched a seemingly prepared counter-attack, singling out councillors to request their views on the council's performance on a wide range of issues from brownfield site redevelopment to the Welsh language. Cllr Colin Gordon, the presiding member, at first sympathised with the perplexed Plaid contingent, and said it was 'quite correct' these Labour questions had little to do with the matter at hand. But he then allowed them, despite protests from those being questioned, because he said a Plaid councillor had 'opened the door' to a wider debate by first raising the council's handling of Blackwood Miners' Institute. The descent into 'whataboutism' meant discussions of the leader's handling of the library closures were often sidetracked and, indeed, there were several periods when Cllr Morgan was hardly mentioned – during a debate which was supposedly all about his leadership. Attempting to keep a lid on the meeting, which regularly resembled an unruly classroom, was Cllr Gordon. But even he became embroiled in several back-and-forths, and at one point warned Cllr Whittle he would be asked to leave the council chamber if he continued 'interfering'. Cllr Nigel Dix, who leads the independent group but did not sign the notice of motion, called the theatrical scenes 'a comedy of errors', adding: 'I've seen better acting on Crossroads.' The chamber did fall silent to hear from Cllr Brenda Miles, whose status in the Labour group has been uncertain since she challenged the leader over the libraries in an email she sent to all councillors. Cllr Miles, who did not sign the notice of motion, said she wanted to 'put the record straight' following several other councillors' references to her. 'My status on the council at the moment is that I am not a member of the Labour group… but I am a member of the Labour Party', she explained, adding she was facing 'disciplinary action'. It was Cllr Miles who proposed deferring the library closures during May's scrutiny meeting. She called the library issue a 'legitimate debate to have' but said councillors 'should be focusing on the scrutiny process' and whether it was operating correctly as a 'critical friend to cabinet'. Other councillors on both sides of the no-confidence row did at times stay on track. Critics who signed the notice of motion included Plaid's Cllr Gary Enright, who said the council's leadership left him 'unenthused and uninspired', and Cllr John Roberts – also Plaid – who claimed the library closures made some communities feel like 'second-division wards' of the county borough. Defenders of the leader included Labour's Cllr Arianna Leonard – who said Cllr Morgan does the top job 'sincerely, creatively and responsibly' – and cabinet member Cllr Shayne Cook, who said he was 'proud' of the administration's record on housing. Cllr Morgan, responding to the notice of motion, said it 'certainly feels like a personal attack from the opposition, rather than one based on reason'. He said the consultation on libraries may have found stiff opposition to the closures from their core users, but in making decisions the council – which has to save millions of pounds over the next three years – 'must still consider the needs of the vast majority of residents who do not use a library'. He also accused Plaid of 'hypocrisy' over the issue, and told the meeting that a previous Plaid administration closed Aberbargoed Library in 2011 despite '80% of the scrutiny committee voting to keep the library open'. Cllr Whittle rejected the leader's claim of a personal attack, replying the no-confidence vote was 'purely on the issue of the libraries'. He added being council leader was a 'tough job' and said he himself had faced a Labour vote of no-confidence during his own time in the position. The council voted 37-21 against the motion of no confidence, with no abstentions.
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Huge change to Britain's Got Talent after ‘absolutely wild' Blackpool shows which Simon Cowell ‘loved'
BRITAIN'S Got Talent gave us some of the most outrageous wannabes in the show's history last series – by taking the auditions out of London and up the road to Blackpool. Now, I can reveal the 3 BGT producers want to host try-outs in yet another major UK city Credit: Rex In fact, as well as heading back to Blackpool this autumn seeking contestants for BGT 2026, I can reveal that auditions will also be held in Birmingham as show bosses turn their backs on the capital completely. A TV insider said: 'The audiences up north were absolutely wild, with some shouting at Simon and flicking him V-signs if he didn't make a decision they approved of. 'Simon loved it, so when they were looking at what to do for the new series, they decided to try out another city further north that might provide some of the same dynamism.' Birmingham was the birthplace of huge ITV shows, including cult kids' favourite Tiswas and classic soap Crossroads. READ MORE ON BGT Britain's second city was the home of talent contest New Faces which helped launch the careers of stars including The BGT live semi-finals and final will likely remain in London. Moving the auditions from the big smoke on a near permanent basis won't surprise other judges either. Talking of their sensational trip north for the 2024 auditions, Most read in News TV Amanda Holden said this year: 'The audiences were super-warm and brilliantly up for it. The show felt really appreciated and wanted up there. 'I honestly think we won't go back to London for the auditions. I think we'll be going back to Blackpool all the time.' Well, it turns out you were half right Amanda . . . Amanda Holden appears NAKED on radio just days after Ofcom complaints over BGT dress Nick: Why The Traitors is magic 3 Celebrity Traitors star Nick Mohammed on Ted Lasso Credit: AP The Ted Lasso actor said Stephen used a Harry Potter term for non-magical people to refer to the non-celeb version of the hit show. He said: 'Stephen referred to it as the Muggle version which really made me laugh.' Nick added: 'I was allowed one phone conversation a day with the kids but you are isolated from the outside world – at one point we weren't even allowed to know the time. 'You'd be, 'What's the time?' They'd say, 'It's traitors' time'.' Filming has wrapped on the series – which will air this autumn – but Nick has kept in touch with his co-stars. He added: 'There's a WhatsApp group and we're all on it – it's phenomenal and every day there's about 50 notifications.' Leo lined up LEO WOODALL has cemented his place as TV's favourite leading man with another sexy role. He will play the titular character in Vladimir, a Netflix eight-parter said to be 'full of sexy secrets and dark humour'. It also stars Rachel Weisz as a woman who becomes obsessed with Vladimir. Nadiya's a sole survivor 3 Nadiya Bychkova has revealed she has her entire body insured Credit: BBC STRICTLY Come Dancing siren Nadiya told me: 'I do have things insured – everything I need for dancing. 'Dancing puts food on the table, so I need to make sure I am OK. I think it comes from when I was competing at the highest level. I do a lot of workouts for my feet. It's about building the muscles. You don't want to walk in heels and twist something or break something. 'As we get older, we need to look after ourselves even more. If you twist your ankle, then you're done.' Game on for Squid THE THIRD and final series of Squid Game landed on Friday but now its creator has hinted there could be more to come. The dystopian hit saw gambling addict Gi-hun join in a deadly game against other vulnerable people, enticed by recruiters. Writer Hwang Dong-Hyuk said: 'I had this faint ideation . . . not a sequel, but maybe a spin-off about the three-year gap between season 1 and season 2 when Gi-hun looks around for the recruiters. 'Maybe a portrayal of what the recruiters or Captain Park or officers or masked men were doing in that period, not inside the gaming arena, but their life outside of that.' Sonia on the double CONGRATULATIONS to Coronation Street actress Sonia Ibrahim, who has given birth to her second child. Announcing the news online, Sonia, who plays Mel Maguire, wrote: 'My beautiful boy Carter Benjamin Machin, 7lbs of pure perfection. You are loved more than you will ever know.' C4 to air axed doc A CONTROVERSIAL documentary about medics allegedly coming under fire in Gaza: Doctors Under Attack looks at allegations that Israeli forces targeted hospitals and health workers in the The Beeb commissioned the film last year but shelved it, concerned it 'risked creating a perception of partiality'. Louisa Compton, Channel 4's head of news, said: 'We are showing this programme because we believe that, following thorough fact-checking, we are presenting a duly impartial view.' The one-off film will air on Wednesday at 10pm.
Metro
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Legendary ITV star ‘can't shake off' role in show watched by 25 million viewers
A former ITV soap star has said she 'can't shake off' a role that projected her into millions of living rooms each week – despite leaving 41 years ago. Actress and broadcaster JoAnne Good rose to fame in 1981 when she joined the cast of legendary serial drama Crossroads. As viewers will remember, the axed show followed the lives of staff and residents at a fictional Midlands hotel of the same name and aired between 1964 and 1988. It was later revived in 2001, though ended two years later. By this point, Crossroads was a plush hotel. Certainly a far cry from original owner Meg Mortimer's (Noelle Gordon) day! JoAnne played rebellious Carole Sands, who was David Hunter (Ronald Allen) and his wife Barbara's (Sue Lloyd) housekeeper. Rough and ready, she caused a small riot on the streets of Kings Oak, had an affair with Kevin Banks (David Moran) and later worked at the local garage. Following her departure in 1984, she's gone on to appear in Casualty, Last of the Summer Wine, Heartbeat and Doctors. Despite that, JoAnne still holds the role very close to her heart. 'I can't shake Carole off,' she told the Suddenly Single podcast. 'I'm quite proud of it because my character was the forerunner to Kylie Minogue's character (Charlene Robinson) on Neighbours. 'I played the car mechanic in the motel garage. It had a viewership of 25 million a night.' In 2021 she recalled her time on the series with the Crossroads Appreciation Society, saying it was 'the best job [she's] ever had in [her] life.' Speaking of her exit storyline, she added: 'It was like being kicked out of your family and you always believe you'll be asked back. 'And I think probably the problem with me is that I ended up having an affair with someone in it and I don't think they liked that, I think they felt that you should keep the two things separate. So that was probably my downfall!' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! A dramatisation based upon leading actress Noelle's time at the motel hit our screens in 2023. Nolly, written by Russell T Davies, saw Helena Bonham Carter step into the iconic actress' shoes. Last year, a selection of archive episodes hit streaming service ITVX – but were hit with a guidance notice before each episode: 'Contains broadcast standards, language and attitudes of its time.' Although not uncommon for older programmes, one former actor branded the move 'pathetic.' More Trending Fiona Curzon, who appeared in 13 episodes of the show in the 1970s, didn't think viewers would find anything offensive in the episodes. 'I don't think anyone sitting down and watching Crossroads would be shocked by anything. On the contrary I think they would think, 'what is the matter with the people who are issuing these warnings?'' she was quoted as saying in the Daily Mail. 'I just think it is absolutely pathetic. I am so sick of all of this. You cannot say boo these days.' View More » Classic episodes of Crossroads can be watched on ITVX. If you've got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@ – we'd love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. MORE: Chris Tarrant reveals heartbreaking reason he left TV career after 52 years MORE: EastEnders confirms another major exit as star leaves after two years MORE: Eni Aluko returns to ITV for Euro 2025 as reason for Ian Wright absence revealed
