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Award-winning documentary filmmaker dies at age 53

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock has passed away at the age of 53. Spurlock, who was known for his hit 2004 documentary Super Size Me, died from complications of cancer, according to a statement released by his family. “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” Craig Spurlock, who worked with him on several projects, in the statement. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas, and generosity. The world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.” Spurlock first made waves in Hollywood with Super Size Me: a documentary in which the filmmaker ate McDonald's everyday for a month to document the detrimental physical and psychological effects of fast food. He then returned in 2009 with a sequel documentary titled Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!, which offered a sobering look at an industry that processes 9 billion animals a year in America. Spurlock would go onto to direct numerous documentaries including Where in the World is Osama bin Laden about the US conflict in Afghanistan where he went searching for the now dead terrorist. He also directed a One Direction concert film titled This is Us and the 2011 documentary POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. Outside of his film work, Spurlock battled alcoholism, and admitted to once being accused of rape and paying to settle a sexual harassment case. He married three times throughout his life and is survived by sons Laken and Kallen and his wife Sara Bernstein. Image credits: Andrew H Walker / Shutterstock Editorial

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David and Victoria Beckham open up about alleged affair

David and Victoria Beckham have chosen to open up about the "unhappiest" period of their lives, in their highly-anticipated Netflix documentary. The power couple candidly spoke about David's alleged affair in 2003, where he was accused of cheating with his former personal assistant Rebecca Loos after they were spotted leaving a night club in Spain. The rumours spread just after David was transferred from the Manchester United club to Real Madrid . David called the claims “ludicrous” at the time, and now his wife Victoria has also shared her heartache during that time, describing it as the "unhappiest in her life". Ahead of the release of the four-part documentary series, director Fisher Stevens revealed how "unpleasant" it was for him to ask the couple such personal questions. "It wasn't pleasant, but we got into it," he said. "For me, I approached it as, "How did your marriage stay together?" and you'll see how he responds," he added. Producer John Battsek also told The Sunday Times that the couple "signed up” to a nothing off-limits contract, and were happy to discuss tougher subjects. “There was no, “You will not ask that or do that,’" he said "Fisher and I thought that might be the case, but we were clear from the start that we would only do this if we could go in any direction we wanted. And we did," he added. Aside from the alleged affair, the couple also opened up about their first date and are clearly still smitten with each other. “The fact I went to the games really was to - some might say I stalked him, I would say see him," she joked about their first meeting at a charity football match in 1997. She also added that she was immediately attracted to the football star when she spotted him chatting with his parents before the game. “When I saw him in the footballers’ lounge, all the other footballers were at the bar, and he was standing and talking to his parents, and I’m very close to my family, and I loved that side to him.” David's recollection of their first meeting was a bit more simple: “I just fancied her”. The couple have been married since 1999 and have four kids together - sons Brooklyn, 24, Romeo, 21, Cruz, 18, and a daughter Harper, 12. Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Relationships

BBC responds to damning Russell Brand allegations

The BBC has shared that they are "urgently looking" into a series of sexual assault allegations against comedian and actor Russell Brand. The allegations from several women emerged after Channel 4's Dispatches program aired a bombshell documentary about the alleged assaults. The documentary, which was a years-long joint investigation between Channel 4 and the Times, has accused Brand of rape and sexual assaults between the years of 2006 and 2013. Brand has denied all the allegations and said all of his relationships have been consensual. Some of the alleged incidents raised by the women in the documentary occurred while Brand, 48, was working at BBC radio stations between 2006 and 2008. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The BBC say they are "urgently looking into the issues raised" by allegations about Russell Brand in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/C4Dispatches?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#C4Dispatches</a> documentary, Russell Brand: In Plain Sight. The production company Banijay UK and Channel 4 have also said they are launching their own internal investigations. <a href="https://t.co/937IBnPnOJ">pic.twitter.com/937IBnPnOJ</a> — Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/C4Dispatches/status/1703459588379406500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2023</a></blockquote> A BBC spokesperson said in a statement, "The documentary and associated reports contained serious allegations, spanning a number of years." "Russell Brand worked on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we are urgently looking into the issues raised." Mr Brand resigned from the BBC programs in 2008 following public uproar over a on-air prank, when he made prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs with offensive comments about the actor's granddaughter. Channel 4's production company has also launched an "urgent" internal investigation into the allegations. In response to the damning allegations, Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the House of Commons media committee, said, "We will be closely monitoring the responses of the media, especially our public service broadcasters, to these allegations, and looking at the questions that this, yet again, raises about the culture in the industry as a whole." Image credits: Getty Images

News

“Proud of my wrinkles”: Twiggy’s guide to ageing gracefully

Twiggy first exploded onto the modelling industry when she was crowned “The Face Of 1966”. The icon has since developed a stellar career and was even made a dame in 2019. Despite her rapid rise to fame (her photo was spotted by a fashion journalist) and her trusty address book full of celebrity contacts, the '60s icon remains grounded as she shared her love for the “ordinary things”. “We’ve all met people in the entertainment business who are kind of flying, they’re not quite with the world, are they? And that’s not me,” she said in an interview for the Daily Mail. “I love going to the supermarket, just ordinary things. I love my job, but my life is real life with Leigh and my kids, my grandkids, my friends”. Twiggy, whose real name is Lesley Hornby, is a proud grandmother who clearly loves going by adorable nicknames as she prefers to be called “mimi” instead of grandma. When speaking about her grandchildren, her face lights up. The former model has two biological grandchildren from her daughter, Carly, and three step-grandchildren from her partner, Leigh Lawson’s son, Jason. “He’s got three now, so when we get a houseful, it is noisy. But I love it. It’s what life’s about, isn’t it?” she said. Twiggy also proudly shared how different her life as “mimi” looks. The usually glammed up star said that in her day-to-day life she is usually bare-faced, with a ponytail. “That’s me when I’m out and about. Sunglasses, hair just pulled under a baseball cap,” she said. Unlike other stars who may have opted to go under the knife, Twiggy is proud of her natural look. “I’m kind of proud of my wrinkles,” she said. “I understand when people have little tweaks and maybe I’ll even do it, I don’t know. “But what I don’t think I’d ever do is all the stuff they inject, when they get those funny cheeks that look like cotton wool balls have been stuffed in them. It would frighten me,” she shared. She also shared how she embraces ageing by never getting botox. “It’s botulism, isn’t it?” she said of the procedure. “And I never fancied the idea of that floating round my body." She also said that she does Pilates once-a-week which helped her eliminate back pain, which had plagued her since she turned 60. Twiggy’s life story is going to be told for the first time in a documentary made by actor-turned-filmmaker Sadie Frost, with the final footage for the film taken just last week at the Cannes Film Festival. In September a Twiggy musical, Close Up, written and directed by Ben Elton is set to be released. Images: Getty

Beauty & Style

Rare sighting as famous friends step out in support of Michael J. Fox

Michael J. Fox has been joined by a host of his famous friends for a screening of his upcoming documentary. The new documentary explores the Back to the Future star's ongoing battle with Parkinson's disease, and the changes in his life and condition as he gets older. In a show of support for the actor, his celebrity mates joined together for a screening of Still at New York's Lincoln Center. Among the famous faces was actress Meg Ryan, who has not been spotted in public for more than six months. The former rom-com queen, best known for starring roles in films like When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, lives a more quiet life outside of the spotlight these days. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr1TCUeO8e3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr1TCUeO8e3/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tracy Pollan (@tracy.pollan)</a> </div> </blockquote> Ryan hasn’t appeared on screen since the 2015 film Ithaca, which she also directed. However, she is plotting a return to screens later this year, with Ryan starring in and directing the film What Happens Later, which is currently in production. Ryan was among a star-studded group of famous friends supporting J. Fox for the premiere of his doco, with stars including Bill Murray, Denis Leary, Joan Jett, Katie Couric, Mariska Hargitay, and Debra Messing. The screening of the documentary comes after Michael J. Fox <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/i-m-not-gonna-be-80-michael-j-fox-s-tragic-admission" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a> that his battle with the disease is getting more difficult. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“I’m not gonna be 80,” he said in a preview for an upcoming episode of the American current affairs program CBS Sunday Morning, according to Page Six. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">In the clip, Journalist Jane Pauley tells Fox that he has “not squandered” but that his condition will eventually “make the call” as to when it’s his time to go. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“Yeah, it’s, it’s banging on the door,” the actor said. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“I’m not gonna lie. It’s gettin’ hard, it’s gettin’ harder. It’s gettin’ tougher. Every day it’s tougher.” <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Image credits: Instagram

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4 great movies to stream on Amazon, HBO, Netflix and Disney+

Nothing cures boredom like a great movie! Catch up on new releases and take a dive into the beloved classics. Bored? Let’s what a movie! Here are some of the goodies you can enjoy. Amazon: Smile (2023) <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Stars: Sosie Bacon, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey </li> </ul> Premise: After witnessing a strange and traumatic incident with a patient, Dr Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) begins experiencing unexplainable, terrifying occurrences. As terror takes over her life, Rose is on a desperate attempt to escape her new reality. HBO: Gravity (2013) <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Genre: Science Fiction, Thriller, Drama </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Stars: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris </li> </ul> Premise: This mind-blowing space thriller one seven Oscars! Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is on her first space shuttle mission. Veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) is commanding his last mission before retirement. Disaster strikes, and the shuttle is destroyed, with all communication with Earth eradicated. Watch them navigate their terrifying situation. Netflix: You People (2023) <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Genre: Comedy, Romance </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Stars: Jonah Hill, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus </li> </ul> Get ready for some laughs with this movie, with a stellar cast - how could it NOT be funny? When Ezra (Jonah Hill) and Amira (Lauren London) fall in love, they know they’re not so well-suited, but love is love. An issue arises as they find themselves navigating societal expectations of being an interracial couple. Watch to find out if their love endures the culture clash! Disney +: Disenchanted (2022) <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> Stars: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Maya Rudolph </li> </ul> 15 years after moving to the “real world” and marrying Robert (Patrick Dempsey) in Enchanted, and Giselle (Amy Adams) has grown unattached to the city. As she searches for her fairy tale life, the pair move to the suburbs, however, they soon find there are a completely new set of rules in their new suburb. Malvina Monroe (Maya Rudolph) runs the show in this suburb, and she’s not a massive fan of whimsical Giselle. In hopes of finding her perfect community, Giselle turns to magic, but it doesn’t work out in her favour. It’s then a race against time to figure out what her happy ever after really is! Image credit: Shutterstock

Movies

Jacinda Ardern distances herself from Harry and Meghan's new documentary

Jacinda Ardern has released a statement distancing herself from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's new documentary, saying there was "no communication" with the royal couple. The New Zealand Prime Minister is one of several influential figures appearing in the new series, titled Live to Lead, which features seven world leaders and advocates discussing their work. In a trailer released for the series, which airs on December 31st, Ardern is seen smiling for a press pack and an excerpt of a speech, in which she says, "As leaders we have the keys to create a sense of security and a sense of hope." Harry and Meghan have served as executive producers and the series has been co-produced with the Nelson Mandela foundation. Ardern's office has since released a statement regarding the series, claiming the leader had "no communication" with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for the series, and the footage used is from an interview three years ago. The statement read, "In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview." "Originally we were advised the outputs would be printed and digital books, short films and audiobooks." "The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019. In March 2020, a short book entitled Jacinda Ardern (I Know This to be True) was published based on the interview." The statement continued, "In March 2021 the Nelson Mandela Foundation advised the prime minister's office they had secured an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the series of interviews, including the 2019 interview with the prime minister." "In May this year the prime minister's office was notified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would introduce the series; noting this was nearly two and a half years after the interview had been recorded and permission for its use by the Mandela Foundation had already been provided." "All communication throughout has been with the foundation (there has been no communications with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project)." News of a new Netflix series by Harry and Meghan came as a surprise, with their divisive docuseries Harry & Meghan having just recently aired to a mixed reception. Also featured in the upcoming series are Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died on September 18, 2020, Gloria Steinem and Greta Thunberg. Image credits: Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth’s 21st birthday speech edited in Harry and Meghan doco

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new documentary has edited the Queen’s 21st birthday speech to give it a completely new meaning. The first three episodes of the Sussexes new documentary Harry and Meghan have now aired on Netflix. And now voice coach Susie Ashfield has pointed out that in the first episode, the Queen's speech – in which she says “whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong” – is included. Then she takes viewers to episode three, in which the Queen’s speech has been edited, giving it a completely new meaning. “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” She shared another video showing glaring edits of the late Monarch titled: “The Queen Vs Netflix. Spot the difference…”. “I wasn't going to say anything about the Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary because it's nothing to do with me,” she said. "I'm a communications coach. I help people make speeches." <p dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Roboto, Rubik, 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 619px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7176949431789505798&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40royal_family_2022%2Fvideo%2F7176949431789505798%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26q%3DSusie%2520Ashfield%2520%26t%3D1671075706777&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-va.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-maliva-p-0068%2F76ca61686cde4add87422c08f0ebf380_1671013766%3Fx-expires%3D1671094800%26x-signature%3Da9QorsOB83kO1sfr6MVMnQwclsE%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> “But I really like speeches, which is why when somebody told me about some potential editing that might have happened on the Queen's 21st birthday speech. I had to check it out. “So let's play a game together. Spot the difference,” she said, before showing part of the Queen's unedited speech. “I should like to make that dedication now, it is very simple,” Queen Elizabeth II is heard saying. “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service, and to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong.” Susie then points out: “That was the original, unedited copy and the transcript reads the same. Now let's look at Harry and Meghan's version." The Queen’s voice is then heard saying: “I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to the service of our great Imperial family to which we all belong. “Did you hear the difference?" asks Susie. "And did you notice how just removing a few words changes the meaning of the statement entirely?" The words 'to your service and' were edited out of the Queen's speech. “I don't know what the lesson to learn is here, but I suppose if you are going to be speaking and it will be recorded there is a chance you will get misquoted, your words might get taken out of context or in this case some part might be removed to change the meaning of the statement itself. “So try not to let that happen to you. And if it does happen to you, remember there will be some people out there who might notice.” Images: TikTok/Getty

The three biggest revelations from Harry and Meghan's documentary

The first instalment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's docuseries has been released, with the couple dropping major bombshells about life in the royal family. The first half of the series has largely revolved around the beginning of the couple's relationship and Meghan joining the royal family, while also touching on the first few dramatic encounters with paparazzi. Here's the biggest revelations from the series so far. Meghan meeting the royal family Meghan spoke of the first time she met Prince William and Kate Middleton, sharing how she didn't realise the level of formality the royal family carried outside of official engagements. She said, “Even when Will and Kate came over and I met her for the first time, I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot." “I’m a hugger I’ve always been a hugger. I didn’t know that could be jarring for a lot of Brits.” “I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality out on the outside, carried through on on the inside. “That there is a forward facing way of being then you close the door and you go phew, great we can relax now." “But that formality continues on both sides and that was surprising to me.” Meghan and Harry also shared details of Meghan's first meeting with the late Queen Elizabeth, with Harry admitting the situation was "weird". He said, “(Meghan) had no idea what it all consisted of, so it was a bit of a shock to the system for her,” he said. “How do you explain (to people) to bow to your grandma? And that they’ll need to curtsy? Especially to an American – it’s weird.” Meghan described the “surreal” and unexpected moment she realised she’d be meeting the monarch, and that it had been sprung on her at the last minute by her then-boyfriend. “We were in the car and we were going to Royal Lodge for lunch and he goes, ‘Oh, my grandmother’s here – she’s going to be there after church’,” she recalled. “And I remember in the car driving up, he says, ‘you know how to curtsy right?’ And I thought it was a joke.” “I didn’t know what I was doing,” she admitted. Harry's warning to Meghan about the paparazzi During the early days of Harry and Meghan's relationship, Meghan was still living in Canada and working as an actress when she encountered a pack of “9 or 10” paparazzi as she left a florist. “They were all sort of blocking the cars, going, ‘Hey, how you doing, Meghan?’, and I said ‘Oh, thanks, stay warm guys,’” the Duchess of Sussex recalled. The next day, she’d gotten a very strict instruction from her new boyfriend to ignore paparazzi from then on. “I remember (Harry) saying the next day, ‘You can’t talk to them’,” Meghan said. “And I was like, ‘I’m just trying to be pleasant, I don’t know what to do, I’ve never dealt with this before’, and he said, ‘Yes, but the UK media is saying you love it. You’re smiling. You love it.” Harry then likened the treatment of Meghan by the paparazzi to how Princess Diana was also treated, making him very concerned for his wife. "The majority of my memories are of her [Diana] being swarmed by paparazzi," he says. Harry made several comparisons with his wife and Diana, saying "To see another woman in my life go through this feeding frenzy.. That's hard. It is really the hunter vs the prey". The couple felt they had to lie in their engagement interview When the couple got engaged in 2017, they had a sit-down interview on the BBC to discuss their milestone, which the Sussexes have now revealed was completely "rehearsed". Meghan called the interview an "orchestrated reality show", saying they "weren't allowed" to tell their true story when faced with questions about their relationship. Earlier on in the docuseries, they shared how they first began talking on Instagram before meeting for their first date, but were forced to change their story for the BBC chat. The second and final instalment of the docuseries will air on December 15th. Image credits: Netflix

"That's nonsense": Harry and Meghan documentary called out for fake photo

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been called out for using a deceitful photo in the latest trailer for their upcoming Netflix documentary. In the recently released trailer, a photo is shown of a swarm of photographers, seemingly capturing pictures of the royal couple. However, the photo was actually taken at a Harry Potter film premiere in 2011: five years before the couple event met. Eagle-eyed viewers recognised the photo, and pointed out that it was taken at the red carpet premiere for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two in central London, the final film of JK Rowling's franchise, which no royals attended. The picture is shown as Harry narrates, "I had to do everything I could to protect my family." Royal expert Ingrid Seward told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/20647848/harry-meghan-netflix-doc-hounded-by-press/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">The Sun,</a> "I don’t imagine Harry would have realised, but Netflix have been careless here as it weakens Harry’s comment about protecting his family. This fake picture weakens his point." The Sun photographer Doug can be seen in the shot used by Harry and Meghan’s team. He said, “I remember going to the premiere. It was a huge event. Crowds and crowds of fans had turned out in the rain and camped overnight to see the actors. There were no members of the Royal Family there." “In the Netflix trailer it’s implied the photographers, including me, were trying to get a shot of the royal couple — but that’s nonsense.” “For a picture from that premiere to turn up in this trailer about Harry and Meghan seems like lazy picture research.” Rather than the photo capturing the royal couple as insinuated, the photo appears first under search results for 'paparazzi' on stock image website Alamy. The first trailer for the six-part series was released last week - threatening to reveal further details of family difficulties and explain the "real story" behind why Prince Harry and Meghan left the royal family. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rlVhiXlcHU" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Image credits: Getty Images / Netflix

Am I ever gonna see your face again? Nuanced and thoughtful, Kickin’ Down the Door puts The Angels back in the spotlight

When I was a kid, my dad Max took me to basketball games at Melbourne’s Entertainment Centre. I’d wait in my plastic bucket chair as the cheerleaders shook their pom poms and the teams did lay ups. The music was loud, and around the time everyone had found their seats, one song would often come on. It opened with a wailing, single note guitar, followed by a chunky, palm muted riff, driving along until bursting into the chorus when the vocals would demand “Am I ever gonna see your face again?” And as I licked my lemonade icy pole I’d delight as the whole stadium would <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/australia-culture-blog/2014/apr/15/australian-anthems-the-angels-am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again">chant back</a> “No way, get fucked, fuck off.” I had no idea the band was called The Angels. I didn’t know they were supposed to be the next AC/DC but didn’t quite “make it”. The intense relationships at their core were lost on me. I was just delighted by how wild it felt, this song the audience owned, breaking rules, answering back. A new documentary, Kickin’ Down the Door chronicles Australian band The Angels across four decades, from suburban Adelaide to the gloss of <a href="https://themusic.com.au/news/iconic-alberts-music-studios-to-be-torn-down-to-make-way-for-luxury-apartments/wSnS1dTX1tk/08-10-15">Albert Studios</a>and beyond. The classic Oz rock vibe is omnipresent: dudes, riffs, volume. But this story’s star quality is how hard it works to showcase the band from both front of house and backstage, offering something far more nuanced than the well-thumbed tale of these national music icons. <h2>Finding intensity</h2> The documentary centres on the songwriting team of the Brewster brothers, vocalist Bernard “Doc” Neeson, and a revolving cast of drummers, bass players and producers. The themes are what you might like in a documentary about Australian rock ‘n’ roll: journeys to adulthood, mateship, resistance, lashings of hope, dollops of luck. Interviews from the band and their nearest and dearest sidle up against archival footage with cute animations bridging scenes. There’s the ubiquitous drop-in from a couple of international names to provide cred – thankfully a Bono-free endeavour. There’s a slither of pre-hat Molly Meldrum. The eye candy of 70s and 80s Aussie life abounds. The songs are central to Kickin’ Down the Door, but rock ‘n’ roll has always been about theatre, and front man Doc Neeson’s lead in creating an unsettling intensity at live shows lifted The Angels beyond the meat and potatoes of standard Oz rock. In one scene, the lighting guy talks about how Doc used silence and darkness as a tool of intensity – the antithesis of rock show bombast. <h2>A complex portrait</h2> Like The Angels did with rock ‘n’ roll, Kickin’ Down the Door offers a key change in the way it positions the people behind the scenes. Director Madeleine Parry has brought together a complex web of relationships pivoting on creative jubilation, obligation, devotion and estrangement. At an early gig, the Brewsters’ mother is recalled as dancing on a table in a “sea of blokes”. These were her boys, who could do no wrong. Mothers, girlfriends, wives and children are elevated close to the story’s centre, anchored within the nostalgic rhythm of white suburban Australian life to contrast with the band’s sprint – then marathon – to rock ‘n’ roll stardom. Beyond the band bubble, everyone’s sacrifice is apparent. “We all supplied the stability while they chased the dream,” says Neeson’s then partner. In bringing women to the front, Parry frames the main players as multi-dimensional, emotional and expressive. The intensity of volume, riffage and flamboyance sits in dialogue with each band members’ reflections to present the way that “performance” seamlessly slides across gender and genre. This deep thoughtfulness shines through the dizzying foray of complex legal and financial arrangements bands can be thrown into, setting them up with lifelong debt. This is the persistent myth of “luck” in rock ‘n’ roll. This myth grinds against the power imbalance inherent in an incredibly competitive, brutal and sometimes hedonistic global business culture. For decades, rock ‘n’ roll has relied on the exploitation of artists who sacrifice family, health, economic security and friendships to have sustainable careers. This documentary skilfully weaves the devastation that comes when these pressures evaporate years of work for bands and their teams. It isn’t so much a story about the big bad music industry swallowing up another Australian wanna be. Rather, it is a well-crafted assemblage of the pervasive way rock ‘n’ roll’s mystique works behind the scenes, prioritising profits over health and wellbeing, and the sustainability of artists and their families. <h2>The sonic legacy</h2> Undoubtedly the biggest names now in Australian guitar driven music – Amyl and the Sniffers, Courtney Barnett, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Tame Impala – are part of the sonic legacy of bands like The Angels. But they also show a marked shift in how they do business when courting international markets, maintaining elements of independence and control that The Angels had no blueprint for. This current crop of bands also show we are on the road to far better gender representation of what contemporary rock music looks and sounds like. And in other genres, artists like Baker Boy, Genesis Owusu, Barkaa and Jaguar Jonze continue to contest and take ownership of “the sound” of Australian music. Incidentally, I never went on to play basketball. I picked up an electric guitar instead. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/am-i-ever-gonna-see-your-face-again-nuanced-and-thoughtful-kickin-down-the-door-puts-the-angels-back-in-the-spotlight-194057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Controversial Diana interview to air in new documentary

A new documentary about Princess Diana will air snippets of her 1995 Panorama interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir once again, despite Prince William insisting it “should never be shown again”. The HBO documentary, titled The Princess, uses archival audio and video footage as part of its exploration of Diana’s complex relationship with the media, including how she often used the press to her advantage with dire consequences. Its release in select Australian and New Zealand cinemas in August comes a year after William made a forceful statement condemning the 1995 interview and describing it as a “major contribution to making my parent’s relationship worse”. Snippets from the interview show the late Princess of Wales speaking about her marriage to Prince Charles, her extramarital affair, and her belief that a campaign was being “waged against” her for her refusal to “go quietly”. “It is my firm view that this Panorama program holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again,” William said in May 2021. “It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.” Prince Harry later echoed William’s statements, saying that “our mother lost her life because of this and nothing has changed”. The BBC has distanced itself from the documentary, saying licences allowing for “any or all” of the interview to be aired had not been granted, per <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/07/28/dianas-disgraced-panorama-interview-aired-sky-against-prince/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph UK</a>. It has since emerged that Bahir lied to Diana to gain her trust prior to the interview, showing her forged bank statements and other documents as proof that her most-trusted advisors and staff were spying on her in order to get her to agree to the interview. Tim Davie, the BBC’s director-general, vowed last week to never show the interview in its entirety or in parts ever again, saying there would only be “few and far between” reasons to use extracts for journalistic purposes and urging other broadcasters to “exercise similar restraint”. He also apologised to Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry for “the way in which Princess Diana was deceived and the subsequent impact on all their lives”. The Princess isn’t expected to provide context for the BBC interview, as segments from it will be shown alongside other news bulletins and footage of some members of the public - out of an estimated 23 million people who watched it at the time - watching it in a pub and reacting to it. In a statement, HBO described the film as “intensely emotional” and a “visceral submersion” into Diana’s life under the spotlight of the media. “The film unfolds as if it were in the present, allowing viewers to experience the overwhelming adoration, but also intense scrutiny of Diana's every move and the constant judgement of her character,” the statement reads. "Through archival material, the film is also a reflection of society at the time, revealing the public's own preoccupations, fears, aspirations and desires." Image: Getty Images

George Michael documentary narrated by the late singer

A new documentary detailing the extraordinary life and career of George Michael is set to hit theatres in June. The documentary, titled George Michael: Freedom Uncut, is described as the artist’s last work, with the late musician being credited as a co-creator on the project. George Michael was heavily involved in the making of the movie prior to his death in 2016, as he also narrates the film, which will offer new insight into his music career and private life. Freedom Uncut chronicles the tumultuous — yet creatively fruitful — period of Michael’s life and career following the release of his 1987 solo debut, Faith, then through the creation and release of his 1990 follow-up Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1. Along with documenting his creative efforts during this period, the doco will also explore his relationship with Anselmo Feleppa — who died from AIDS-related complications — as well as the death of Michael’s mother. The film will feature an array of archived footage, including photos from Michael’s private collection, as well as never-before-seen footage from the Freedom! ’90 video, directed by David Fincher. The documentary also includes interviews with Michael’s peers and friends, including Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Nile Rodgers, Mark Ronson, Ricky Gervais, Mary J. Blige, Liam Gallagher, and Tony Bennett, as they recall some of their favourite memories with their late friend who changed the face of music. Image credits: Getty Images

Music

New Netflix doco narrated by AI-generated Andy Warhol

A new documentary about artist Andy Warhol will resurrect the art world icon through artificial intelligence. Following a controversial trend amongst filmmakers, the artist will be heard reading through his diary entries and discussing his successful art career. The voice will not be that of the real artist, but rather created to mimic his voice through artificial intelligence technology. Warhol, who died in 1987, had an extensive impact on the art world with his famous pop art movement and his Campbell soup cans collections. Andrew Rossi, who created the upcoming The Andy Warhol Diaries series, undertook this unusual measure with the Andy Warhol Foundation to have their permission to create the series with his AI-generated voice, according to the recently released trailer. The series also portrays the AI-generated narration as something Warhol himself would’ve wanted. In recent years, many filmmakers have relied on AI technology to recreate the voice of a deceased person for a biographical documentary. Last year, AI was used to recreate Anthony Bourdain’s voice for Roadrunner and to reconstruct footage of the Beatles producing their album Let It Be for the three-part series Get Back. Though generally seen as technically impressive, this usage of AI has provoked debate about the ethics of utilising the technology to “resurrect” dead figures, and generated questions about the truth-telling quality commonly associated with documentary filmmaking. You can check out the trailer for The Andy Warhol Diaries below. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aeC76ncf66w" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Image credits: Getty Images

Art

Sean Penn travels to Ukraine to film war documentary

Actor Sean Penn has travelled to Ukraine to film a documentary about the ongoing conflict with Russia. The 61-year-old met with the Ukrainian president after attending a government press briefing for part of a VICE documentary he is filming. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of his meeting with the actor on his Instagram, with the caption, "The more people know about the war in the Ukraine, the higher the likelihood of stopping Russia!" Sean Penn has been filming the documentary about escalating tensions in the area for several months, and recently returned to Kyiv, just days before Russian forces invaded the country. In a translated <a id="mol-f6a771f0-9594-11ec-bc71-19f2c1b2d56a" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/facebook/index.html">Facebook</a> post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful for Penn being there, and was praised as being more courageous than Western leaders. "An American actor and filmmaker, Oscar winner Sean Penn arrived to Ukraine. The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country." "Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty." "He spoke to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country. Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack." "The more such people, true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom, the sooner it will be possible to stop the massive attack on Russia," a statement on the Ukrainian government's Facebook page read. Sean Penn has recently been spotted in Kyiv having dinner with journalists, while thousands of people are fleeing the Ukrainian capital. Penn has been involved in several journalistic endeavours before, after taking part in a documentary of the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. In 2016, the actor and director found himself caught up in the US investigation into fugitive drug lord El Chapo, after he made contact with him while working on a Rolling Stone article. Image credits: Instagram

Movies

Royals release extraordinary joint statement

Buckingham palace has released a rare statement to condemn the BBC's new documentary about the royal family, saying the claims the show made are "overblown and unfounded". The extraordinary joint statement from Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House was aired during the two-part series titled Princes and the Press, which details how Prince Harry and Prince William have been treated by the media. The royal family was reportedly furious when they were not given the chance to vet the documentary before it aired, and issued a blistering statement to the BBC ahead of the broadcast. "A free, responsible and open Press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy," the joint statement read. "However, too often overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility." The first episode of the series aired on Monday night and featured Omid Scobie, a journalist who co-authored Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's unofficial autobiography Finding Freedom. Scobie claimed that unfavourable stories about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex has been vetted by members of the royal household, while journalist Dan Wootton said officials "behind the scenes" has reached out to press amid growing frustrations with Harry and Meghan's behaviour. "There were some people who felt [Meghan] needed to be put in her place," Scobie said during the documentary. "I think by leaking a negative story, that's punishment." The documentary also discussed rumours of "competitiveness" between members of the royal family, and aired reports of Meghan's alleged "bullying" while in the palace. Jenny Afia, a lawyer who had previously worked with Meghan, denied reports that the Duchess was "difficult" to work with. "Those stories were false. This narrative that no one can work with the Duchess of Sussex that she was too difficult, demanding a boss, and that everyone had to leave is just not true," she said. It has been reported that officials at the BBC refused to allow Buckingham Palace advance footage of the first episode of the documentary, in order to eliminate any chance of censorship. Image credits: Getty Images

Unseen Beatles footage to feature in new docu-series

A new documentary will contain previously unseen footage of The Beatles towards the end of their time as a band which will present a different take on the creation of their final studio album Let It Be. Originally intended as a film, The Beatles: Get Back <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/peter-jacksons-documentary-the-beatles-get-back-unveils-brand-new-footage-in-extended-trailer/" target="_blank">has become</a> a three-part documentary that follows the group as they worked, recorded, and prepared for their final rooftop performance. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-G43YFxhD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU-G43YFxhD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Disney+ (@disneyplus)</a> </div> </blockquote> In the latest extended trailer, the British stars can be seen workshopping songs and messing around in the studio, as well as discussing the group’s imminent break-up. The trailer also reveals footage surrounding the departure of George Harrison and the planning they undertook for their final Savile Row concert. See it here: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tb83rbm0IVI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Get Back, directed by Peter Jackson, sees the archived footage undergo the same restoration treatment used in his WWI project They Shall Not Grow Old, giving it a vibrant hue. The documentary is due to premiere on Disney Plus across three consecutive nights, starting on November 25. Image: The Beatles / YouTube

Movies

Britney Spears’ fiancé comments on new Netflix doco

Sam Asghari, Britney Spears’ fiance, has spoken out following the release of the trailer for Netflix documentary Britney vs Spears. The streaming giant released the trailer one week out from it’s airing, prompting a comment from Asghari. “I hope the profit from these docs go towards fighting injustice #freebritney,” he wrote on Instagram. Spears hasn’t directly commented on the new film covering her conservatorship battle, but some have said she doesn’t endorse it. “This is another unauthorised documentary without her blessing or participation,” one source told <a rel="noopener" href="https://pagesix.com/2021/09/22/britney-spears-netflix-doc-done-without-her-blessing/" target="_blank">Page Six</a>. Previously, the star didn’t endorse the New York Times’ Framing Britney Spears documentary, saying that she was “embarrassed” by it without watching it. The new documentary comes a week after Spears and Asghari shared <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/britney-spears-announces-engagement-takes-social-media-break?fbclid=IwAR3oQk_JWMBRFwLbcrDBjA6snAVzORSFg23Xz-3AqYit05ZBDDWTd8YvJzs" target="_blank">news of their engagement</a> on social media. Spears also announced she would be taking a break from social media two days later but has since returned to Instagram and Twitter. The new documentary will debut on September 28, a day before Spears returns to court to fight for her release from her decade-long conservatorship. In the trailer, audio of Spears is heard from her testimony at the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse on June 23, where she addressed the court publicly for the first time. “I just want my life back,” she said. “I’ve worked my whole life. “I don’t owe these people anything.” Directed by filmmaker Erin Lee Carr, the documentary will centre around Spears’ conservatorship and question its necessity, the alleged corruption of her father, and larger issues with conservatorship. “What was going on inside the conservatorship? And why was she still in one if she was okay?” one person said in the trailer. Though the trailer doesn’t reveal who will appear in the documentary, the clip includes voiceovers from various people, including Spears’ ex, paparazzo Adnan Ghalib, and a legal expert. The trailer also suggests that the documentary will reveal new information leaked by someone involved in the conservatorship. See the trailer here. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SgFDWK_sf9c" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image: @britneyspears / Instagram

Relationships

The dress that caused a scandal before Princess Diana's wedding

The dress Diana wore in her first outing as a royal fiancée propelled her into the spotlight and saw the start of her image as a global fashion icon who was willing to break the rules and ignore royal protocol. On March 9, 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were making their public debut following the announcement of their engagement by Buckingham Palace. As guests of honour at Goldsmiths Hall, in aid of The Royal Opera House, Diana wore a black low-cut strapless gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, who would go on to design her wedding dress. In a newsreel from the next day, a reporter said of Diana: “The palace did not know in advance of the dress she chose to wear … by normal royal standards, it was fairly revealing.” Ken Gavin, former chief photographer for The Mirror, was stationed at the top of the stairs to snap the couple as they walked up towards the press pack. “When she came out in that black dress, cleavage and everything [nearly] falling out everywhere, she was, she looked sensational,” Gavin said in the new documentary Diana’s Decades, which aired overnight. “She came up the stairs and we were waiting for her. I knew that I had a page-one picture, there was no question about that. “I think she would have known she was going to get a lot of attention [but] I don’t think she realised how low that dress was until she saw the stills the next day. While most took issue with the cut of Diana’s dress, Prince Charles instead disapproved of its colour. Princess Diana later told her biographer Andrew Morton how her fiance reacted when he first saw the gown, just as they were due to leave for the ball. “I remember my first engagement so well,” Diana said. “So excited. I got this black dress from the Emmanuels and I thought it was OK because girls my age wore this dress. “I hadn’t appreciated that I was now seen as a royal lady, although I’d only got a ring on my finger as opposed to two rings. “I remember walking into my husband-to-be’s study, and him saying: ‘You’re not going in that dress, are you?’ “I replied: ‘Yes, I am.’ And he said: ‘It’s black! But only people in mourning wear black!’ And I said: ‘Yes, but I’m not part of your family yet.’ “Black, to me, was the smartest colour you could possibly have at the age of 19. It was a real grown-up dress. I was quite big-chested by then, and [the Press] all got frightfully excited.” Diana also told Morton how Princess Grace of Monaco, who was also attending the ball, helped her cope with the newfound attention. “I learned a lesson that night. I remember meeting Princess Grace and how wonderful and serene she was,” Diana said. “‘Don’t worry,’ Princess Grace joked. ‘It will only get worse.’ “It was a horrendous occasion. I didn’t know whether to go out of the door first. I didn’t know whether your handbag should be in your left hand or your right hand. “I was terrified, really - at the time everything was all over the place. I remember that evening so well. I was terrified - nearly sick.”

News

Exclusive footage in new documentary to mark Diana’s 60th

To mark what would have been Princess Diana’s 60th birthday, a new documentary will be released and aims to tell “the definitive story of the most famous woman in the world”. The ITV film, titled Diana, will trace her life from nursery assistant to royal family member by including previously-unheard testimony and rarely seen archive footage, as well as photos and letters from those close to her. 72 Films, who previously produced The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty, will produce the new documentary, which will be directed by Bafta winner Jemma Chisnall. “There is something a bit magical about Princess Diana, and despite the difficulties in her personal life she managed to use her connection with people to do huge amounts of good,” said David Glover, executive producer 72 Films. “Her 60th birthday feels like the perfect time to re-examine her life and legacy and explore just how she went from a relatively unknown teenager to the most mourned person who ever lived.” ITC will also air a three-part series called Diana’s Decades, which will follow her early royal life, her high-profile work for HIV charities, her interactions with Hollywood during the 1980s, and the journey to becoming the People’s Princess in the 1990s.

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