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Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Abba Voyage relaunches with huge changes including four 'forgotten' songs added
Abba Voyage has undergone a dazzling makeover with four new songs added to the setlist. After thrilling fans for three years, the purpose-built stadium closed its doors in May while preparations got underway to transform the show that celebrates the Swedish supergroup. Abba Voyage - which features lifelike avatars of the Eurovision winners - has been visited by millions fans since it opened To mark the three year anniversary on May 27, the show has undergone a dazzling revamp. As before, the show features an unbeatable run of hits from Waterloo to Mama Mia to keep devoted fans happy. Speaking about the new changes, the band said in a rare statement: "When we first opened, we never imagined that we'd still be in London 3 years on. We're very grateful that so many of you have joined us. Of course, the reason for us being able to sustain our concert for so long is because of our incredible audience. As we say in Sweden… Vilken resa!" Speaking at the event, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, who was joined by Benny Andersson told fans: "The only thing that I can say is that I love you very much, thank you for all your support over the years. It's hard to imagine it's 50 years now. I'm turning 80 this year! I love you, thank you," as the crowd erupted into cheer for the music legend. Fans can now enjoy, The Name of the Game, Super Trouper, Money Money Money and Take A Chance on Me. Abba were thrust into the spotlight after winning the Eurovision Song Contest back in 1974 and over 50 years later their music continues to delight fans all over the world. The state of the art custom-built venue has given fans the chance to see the band like never before with lifelike creations of Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The show features younger 'Abba-tars' of the Swedish group performing songs from their back catalogue alongside a live 10-piece band. It has been going since 2022 in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. In a joint statement, Abba members Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad said: 'When we first opened, we never imagined that we'd still be in London three years on. We're very grateful that so many of you have joined us. 'Of course, the reason for us being able to sustain our concert for so long is because of our incredible audience. As we say in Sweden … Vilken resa! (what a journey in English). 'So, to celebrate we'll be adding a little something to our concert from the 27th of May to thank you for your love and support. We hope you enjoy it!' The concerts have generated £1.4 billion in turnover – meaning total sales and spending by those who visited – in its first two years, according to the consultancy. The report also estimates nearly £775 million in gross value added to the UK economy, which is worked out by calculating the total generated from sales, minus production and other operational costs. The arena, which seats 3,000 people, was designed to be portable, meaning it can be taken down and relocated elsewhere once the show runs its course. After winning the Eurovision Song Contest with hit song Waterloo on April 6 1974, the band went on to have a string of chart-toppers including Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, Dancing Queen, Super Trouper, The Winner Takes It All and Mamma Mia! The group split in 1982 after 10 years but reunited and released their first new music in almost 40 years with their ninth studio album Voyage in 2021, which topped the UK album charts. The musical Mamma Mia!, based on their song catalogue, premiered in London in 1999 and became a worldwide hit – leading to two movies, 2008's Mamma Mia! and 2018's Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. The launch party comes after the band were dealt a blow last week when it was revealed their talented sound engineer, Michael B. Tretow, had diedat the age of 80. After being chosen by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to be their sound engineer in 1970, Michael worked on all of the 'Waterloo' hitmakers' albums except for 2021's 'Voyage'. In a touching tribute, Björn Ulvaeus said the way he shaped their sound 'cannot be overestimated.' Benny Andersson said: 'You meant more to us four in ABBA than anyone else. I hope and believe that you felt it throughout all the years that have passed since we worked (and continuously laughed) in the studio. Our music lives on, it seems, and you are the one who made it timeless. You were a fantastic inspirer and joy-maker, and the finest sound engineer the world has ever seen. I miss you. And I've saved all your coconuts!' Anni-Frid Lyngstad said: 'No one fit the bill as well as you. For us, you are forever part of the ABBA sound and you will never be forgotten.' Fourth band member, Agnetha Fältskog, recalled spending time with Michael just recently. She reflected: 'So glad I got to spend some time with you a few weeks ago… You were so sick, but your laughter and humour were still there. 'So many memories are preserved, your encouraging words during the recordings meant so much. We are sad now, a talented and unique person has left us. Sleep well Micke, you are in our hearts forever.'
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Celebrity Traitors cast: the 19 stars confirmed
After months of rumours and speculation, the cast of The Celebrity Traitors has been confirmed. It comes as the BBC dropped a first look at the highly anticipated spin-off. Claudia Winkleman is back on hosting duties at the Traitors Castle and a motley crew of famous faces will be taking on the deadly game of deception and murder later this year. They will be competing to win £100,000 for a charity of their choice, the Beeb revealed. A regular civilian season of The Traitors is also set to arrive in early January 2026 - so it is going to be quite the 12 months for fans of the show. Claudia added: 'We're incredibly lucky these brilliant people have said yes. I'd love to say we'll take it easy on them and they'll just wander round the castle and eat toast for a couple of weeks but that would be a lie." But who are the stars heading to The Traitors Castle? See the full cast of Celebrity Traitors 2025 below. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 1 . Alan Carr TV comedy icon Alan Carr is among the cast of Celebrity Traitors. | Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Photo Sales 2 . Cat Burns Singer Cat Burns is heading to The Traitors castle for Celebrity Traitors - and has been confirmed for the cast. |for Warner Bros. Pictures Photo:for Warner Bros. Pictures Photo Sales 3 . Celia Imrie Bridget Jones and Mama Mia star Celia Imrie is part of the cast of Celebrity Traitors. She is heading to the Traitors castle! |Photo:Photo Sales 4 . Charlotte Church Singer Charlotte Church is among the big names who will appear on Celebrity Traitors. She has been confirmed by the BBC. |Photo:Photo Sales
Scotsman
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Celebrity Traitors cast: the 19 stars confirmed
After months of rumours and speculation, the cast of The Celebrity Traitors has been confirmed. It comes as the BBC dropped a first look at the highly anticipated spin-off. Claudia Winkleman is back on hosting duties at the Traitors Castle and a motley crew of famous faces will be taking on the deadly game of deception and murder later this year. They will be competing to win £100,000 for a charity of their choice, the Beeb revealed. A regular civilian season of The Traitors is also set to arrive in early January 2026 - so it is going to be quite the 12 months for fans of the show. Claudia added: 'We're incredibly lucky these brilliant people have said yes. I'd love to say we'll take it easy on them and they'll just wander round the castle and eat toast for a couple of weeks but that would be a lie." But who are the stars heading to The Traitors Castle? See the full cast of Celebrity Traitors 2025 below. Have you got a story you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at . It's free to use and, once checked, your story will appear on our website and, space allowing, in our newspapers. 1 . Alan Carr TV comedy icon Alan Carr is among the cast of Celebrity Traitors. | Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Photo: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images Photo Sales 2 . Cat Burns Singer Cat Burns is heading to The Traitors castle for Celebrity Traitors - and has been confirmed for the cast. |for Warner Bros. Pictures Photo:for Warner Bros. Pictures Photo Sales 3 . Celia Imrie Bridget Jones and Mama Mia star Celia Imrie is part of the cast of Celebrity Traitors. She is heading to the Traitors castle! |Photo:Photo Sales 4 . Charlotte Church Singer Charlotte Church is among the big names who will appear on Celebrity Traitors. She has been confirmed by the BBC. |Photo:Photo Sales
Sydney Morning Herald
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why Albanese is leading Dutton in ‘podcaster election' stakes
After Donald Trump's embrace of various bro podcasters helped lock in the male edgelord vote and pave his return to the White House, it was no surprise that Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton would race to the mics ahead of Saturday's poll. But as the election campaign reaches the home stretch, the prime minister isn't just leading the polls – he's also edged ahead in the podcast/YouTuber stakes. After ruffling a few press gallery feathers by rolling out the federal budget red carpet to a few Labor-friendly influencers, Albanese has taken plenty of time out of his campaign schedule for interviewers well outside the Canberra bubble. Last month, the PM sank non-alcoholic beers with Perth-based YouTuber Ozzy Man Reviews during a near hour-long interview. He popped up on a new show from the brains behind popular podcast The Grade Cricketer. And last week, he did an interview with a podcast called Bloody Brilliant Beers, a couple of blokes from Brissie who post about footy and frothies. Sounds like a perfect platform to reach the kind of normie suburban young male voters Dutton would desperately love to pick off. Loading But the opposition leader has had less time for such engagements. Before the campaign, he did an interview with Olympic diver Sam Fricker. Like Albanese, he's sat down with Mark Bouris, the businessman and wannabe Joe Rogan, who's interviewed politicians across the aisle. Both leaders have sat down with Kate Langbroek on the No Filter podcast from women's media empire Mama Mia. But it was Albanese who got the weirdest internet celebrity endorsement of the campaign on Wednesday from none other than Joseph Allen Maldonado, aka Joe Exotic, star of the pandemic-era Netflix documentary Tiger King. Maldonado, who is serving a 22-year prison sentence for animal abuse and the attempted murder-for-hire of rival zookeeper Carole Baskin, told his Instagram followers to support the PM. Rather than the work of some enterprising Labor apparatchik, the endorsement came courtesy of 2DayFM hosts Jimmy and Nath, who asked Exotic to back the PM during a radio interview this week. It's a bit of social media love that Dutton probably didn't envy.
