Middlesbrough-born musician had hits with Driving Home for Christmas, On the Beach and The Road to Hell Chris Rea, the British singer-songwriter whose hits included Driving Home For Christmas, has died at the age of 74, a spokesperson for his family said. The statement said that he died “peacefully in hospital … following a short illness”. Continue reading...

The bookshop chain said the bestselling author will ‘no longer be appearing’ at a Dundee event after HarperCollins announced it won’t publish new titles by him David Walliams has been dropped from the Waterstones Children’s book festival following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. The decision comes days after his publisher, HarperCollins, cut ties with the author. Walliams has denied the allegations. Walliams was set to appear at the Dundee leg of the festival on February 7. He has now been removed from the list of speakers on the festival’s website. A spokesperson for Waterstones told the Guardian: “HarperCollins have confirmed that David Walliams will no longer be appearing at our festival in Dundee.” Continue reading...

The new leader of the Catholic Church in England and Wales has been appointed by the Pope.

Authorities investigating ‘apparent homicide’ after 78-year-old director of Stand By Me and The Princess Bride was discovered dead at LA home with wife * Interview: Rob Reiner on Trump, family – and his brilliant, beloved movie Rob Reiner, the director of beloved films including When Harry Met Sally, Misery, Stand By Me, The Princess Bride and This is Spinal Tap, has died aged 78 in an apparent homicide, along with his 68-year-old wife Michele Singer Reiner. Reports first began to emerge on Sunday afternoon that the bodies of a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman had been found by authorities inside a home owned by Reiner in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Continue reading...