The UK entertainment industry has been abuzz with significant events and announcements involving its most prominent celebrities. From legal victories to new television series, the landscape is evolving rapidly.
In January 2025, Prince Harry achieved a significant legal victory over Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper group, News Group Newspapers . The publisher admitted for the first time to unlawful actions at its tabloid, The Sun, and agreed to a substantial damages payment. Harry had accused NGN of illegally obtaining private information about him from 1996 to 2011 and intruding into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana. The settlement is reported to be over £10 million, mainly covering legal fees. NGN issued an apology for the serious intrusion into Harry's private life. This settlement may mark the end of similar lawsuits against NGN, which has faced significant financial repercussions from prior lawsuits involving phone hacking and other illegal information gathering activities.
In the realm of television, the UK is set to witness the return of popular reality shows featuring celebrities. "Celebrity Big Brother 2025" has returned, airing nightly on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player, with its live final scheduled for April 25 at 9pm. Hosted again by AJ Odudu and Will Best, the show features spin-offs including Late & Live and a nightly live stream. This year’s celebrity housemates include EastEnders star Patsy Palmer, Mickey Rourke, Jack P Shepherd, Olympic athlete Daley Thompson, and JoJo Siwa, among others. As of now, Chesney, Chris, Danny, Donna, Jack, and JoJo are the six finalists competing for the top prize. The house has moved to a new location, and viewers can connect with the show through behind-the-scenes content and late-night coverage. Previous winner David Potts won the 2024 season. The show continues to gain popularity, with over 100 million streams on ITVX, and features include exclusive interviews with evictees and commentary from hosts and guest celebrities. A promo trailer with returning guinea pig mascots is available, highlighting the show's quirky return.
Additionally, "Celebrity Traitors UK" is set to premiere on BBC1 later in 2025, likely in late summer or early autumn, following the success of "The Traitors UK" season 3. Hosted once again by Claudia Winkleman, this celebrity edition will see well-known faces competing in the popular murder-mystery format. Confirmed participants include Tom Daley, Bob Mortimer, Stephen Fry, Jonathan Ross, and Clare Balding, among others. The show, filmed at Ardross Castle in the Scottish Highlands, will follow the usual format: celebrities will start as Faithfuls, with a few secretly selected as Traitors aiming to deceive the rest. Through missions, players build a prize fund of up to £120,000, with celebrities aiming to win up to £100,000 for charity. Regular banishments and “murders” spice up the gameplay, culminating in either the Faithfuls or a remaining Traitor claiming the prize. Rumored additional participants include Judy Murray, Lisa Riley, Richard Osman, and Daisy May Cooper. Production began in spring 2025, and fans can anticipate plenty of deception, strategy, and entertainment in this new twist on the hit series. A trailer has not yet been released.
These developments highlight the dynamic nature of the UK's entertainment sector, with celebrities continually engaging in new projects and legal battles that capture public attention.
