The UK entertainment scene has been abuzz with the return of popular reality TV shows and significant legal developments involving high-profile celebrities. "Celebrity Gogglebox" and "Celebrity Big Brother" have captivated audiences with their star-studded line-ups and engaging content. Simultaneously, Prince Harry's legal victory over Rupert Murdoch's newspaper group has made headlines, highlighting ongoing issues within the media industry.
"Celebrity Gogglebox" returned for its seventh season on June 6, 2025, airing weekly on Channel 4. The show features British celebrities sharing their humorous and candid reactions to popular TV shows from their living rooms. This season introduced new celebrity pairs such as Jess Glynne and Alex Scott, and James and Clair Buckley, alongside returning fan favorites like Rylan Clark and his mom Linda, Nick Grimshaw and his niece Liv, and comedy duo Babatunde Aleshe and Mo Gilligan. Other returning and new participants include Ellie Simmonds and Richie Anderson, Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, Vicky Pattison and Pete Wicks, and Sara Cox with her best friend Clare Hamilton. Episodes feature a mix of popular and niche programming, including "Squid Game" season 3, "Love Island 2025", "Clarkson’s Farm", "Celebrity Bridge of Lies", and more.
"Celebrity Big Brother 2025" has also returned, airing nightly on ITV1, ITVX, STV, and STV Player, with its live final scheduled for April 25 at 9 pm. 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.
In the realm of legal affairs, Prince Harry achieved a significant 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. The apology pertained to actions of private investigators, not journalists. 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. While NGN admitted wrongdoing at The Sun, it maintained that there was no senior-level cover-up. No comment was provided by Buckingham Palace or Prince William’s office.
Additionally, the UK government is proposing a new "right to personality" to protect artists and celebrities from AI companies creating products that mimic their distinctive features. Ministers will consult on updating copyright rules to regulate how AI technologies use artists' content for training models. This consultation will introduce new protections for creators, aiming to block AI products that closely resemble famous voices, images, or other features. A key part of the consultation is establishing a rights reservation mechanism, balancing content licensing opportunities with protection for creators who do not want their material used. The consultation will avoid terms like "opt in" or "opt out" and will address transparency issues around the use of scraped content by AI companies. The issue is controversial, as creative industry executives fear the proposed mechanism will result in their content being easily appropriated by tech companies, threatening the UK's creative sectors. The government aims for an open-ended consultation to stimulate broad debate on the subject.
In other news, "I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!" returned for its twenty-fourth series on November 17, 2024, on ITV. The series was filmed in Murwillumbah, New South Wales, with Ant & Dec returning to present the series. On December 8, 2024, Danny Jones was declared the winner of the series, becoming the new "King of the Jungle", with Coleen Rooney and Rev. Richard Coles finishing in second and third place respectively. Jones is notably the second member of McFly to win the series, following his bandmate Dougie Poynter, who won the series in 2011.
Overall, the UK entertainment industry continues to thrive, with celebrities making headlines through their participation in popular reality TV shows and significant legal victories. The proposed "right to personality" legislation also indicates a growing awareness of the need to protect artists and celebrities in the age of AI and digital content.
