Padma Lakshmi Exiting ‘Top Chef’ After 17 Years

BBC‘s Desert Island Discs (via The Guardian), Tucci said that he considers being on stage or on screen as a safe place where you can inhabit different types of characters.“I feel much safer on stage than I do in real life,” he said. “Sometimes, walking into a cocktail or dinner party, I get very nervous.”Discussing being criticised for playing a gay character in Supernova, he added: “Obviously, I believe that’s fine, and I am always very flattered when gay men come up to me and talk about my role in The Devil Wears Prada or Supernova, and say I did it the right way.“Because often it is not done the right way, and I really do believe as an actor that you are supposed to play different people.

Fall Out Boy‘s Pete Wentz has discussed the band’s updated version of Billy Joel‘s ‘We Didn’t Start The Fire’ and why it doesn’t reference COVID.This week, the band shared a new and updated version of the iconic hit, featuring lyrics from between its original release in 1989 and the present day.In the original track, the lyrics included: “Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray / South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio / Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, television / North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe.”These have been swapped out in the Fall Out Boy version for: “Captain Planet, Arab Spring, LA riots, Rodney King, deep fakes, earthquakes, Iceland volcano, Oklahoma City bomb, Kurt Cobain, Pokémon, Tiger Woods, MySpace, Monsanto GMOs.”Now, Wentz has shared his explanations on the lyrics, and reasoning behind one big omission. “Dude, honestly, this idea has been brewing for so long,” Wentz told Zane Lowe on Apple Music. “I’ve been trying to get somebody to do this for so long because it just seems so perfect.

Dolly Parton has said she wouldn’t entertain the idea of having her own AI hologram because she doesn’t want to “leave my soul on Earth”.Parton was asked during a press conference whether she’d ever consider creating a show using a hologram of herself, in the style of ABBA’s current Voyage show.“I think I’ve left a great body of work behind,” she said. “I have to decide how much of that high-tech stuff I want to be involved [with] because I don’t want to leave my soul here on this earth.“I think with some of this stuff I’ll be grounded here for ever… I’ll be around, we’ll find ways to keep me here.” [via The Independent]She also joked that “everything” about her, including “any intelligence” was artificial anyway.Parton also went into more detail about her forthcoming rock album ‘Rockstar’, which is set for release on November 17.She explained that she wanted to get Mick Jagger to appear on the album “so bad” as her husband Carl Dean “loves” him.“I wanted him to sing on ‘Satisfaction’ but he wanted something new and different, which I don’t blame him for that, so I wound up singing that with Pink and Brandi Carlile.“We kept looking for the right song and he was doing an album in LA, and he did some stuff in Nashville, and I kept missing him everywhere.

Mick Jagger is engaged to long-time partner Melanie Hamrick, sources claim.

Darius Campbell Danesh's girlfriend Lauren Cheek has said the couple were planning on moving to Scotland before the singer's sudden death.

Neil Young kicked off his first tour in four years on Friday (June 30) – watch him play a host of rarities at the Los Angeles gig below.As announced last month, Young will play a series of solo acoustic dates on the west coast this summer in his first run of headline gigs since pre-pandemic.Upon the announcement, he also revealed that he would be filling the setlists with mostly songs he has never performed live.True to form, his first show of four at Los Angeles’ John Anson Ford venue on Friday featured a host of deep cuts and rarities, including the first performance of ‘If You Got Love’ since 1986 and the first performance of Neil Young & Crazy Horse track ‘Prime Of Life’ since 1994.He also gave a full live debut to 1994 track ‘A Dream That Can Last’.See footage from the gig and the full setlist below.‘I’m The Ocean’‘Homefires’‘Burned’‘On The Way Home’‘If You Got Love’My Heart’‘A Dream That Can Last’‘Song X’‘Prime Of Life‘When I Hold You In My Arms’‘Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)’Ohio’‘Days That Used To Be’‘Don’t Forget Love’‘Heart Of Gold’Earlier this year, Young made his live comeback at a march and rally in support of the United For Old Growth campaign, which is looking to stop the Canadian government from allowing logging companies from destroying old-growth forests.Since then, he has reunited with Stephen Stills at a show in Los Angeles in April and performed at Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday party alongside Snoop Dogg, Beck and more.Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in early 2020, Young said he wouldn’t tour until the virus was “beat” and called on promoters to cancel “super-spreader” gigs.See the remaining dates of Young’s comeback tour below.

Pulp paid tribute to late bassist Steve Mackey at their Finsbury Park gig last night (July 1).Frontman Jarvis Cocker paused to speak about Mackey before the band played ‘Something Changed’.“We’re trying to do something that is a tribute to Steve Mackey’s memory,” Cocker began.  “I tend to talk about him before this song, because this song’s called ‘Something Changed’. It’s about how somebody can enter your life and really change it all.

John Bleasdale Guest Contributor When Variety talks to Zoe Saldana and her husband, the artist and film director, Marco Perego, they’ve only just arrived in Taormina and are in the process of unpacking. Room service arrives and Zoe apologizes about having to tuck into the salad straightaway. They’re here attending the world premiere of Perego’s debut film as a director, “The Absence of Eden,” a drama that takes place in the murky world of the U.S.’s southern border, a hellish landscape inhabited by Coyotes, ICE officers, desperate immigrants and refugees. It’s a universe away from the Pandora of the “Avatar” pictures or the science fiction blockbusters “Star Trek” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” Saldana is more usually associated with. “When I was picked for those films, I had no idea they were going to become franchises. I thought it was going to be a one and done kind of thing. I hold all of those films responsible for any kind of global notoriety I may have. However, it’s time consuming. Between ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Guardians’ and ‘Avatar,’ I had solid work for over 10 years. As I became an asset that had a certain value in this industry, I could turn that to films like this.”

Gene Simmons has revealed he asked former Kiss members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley to perform at the band’s last ever shows, but both refused.Kiss are in the middle of their farewell ‘End Of The Road’ tour, which they are in the UK for this week. Their last-ever shows are set to take place at Madison Square Garden in their hometown of New York on December 1 and 2.Fans hoped Criss and Frehley would make an appearance at Kiss’s last shows, but the chances of that happening appear slim, seeing as Simmons has claimed multiple offers were made and declined.“For the older fans, the ones who’ve been around for 50 years, they’re old, and some of them wanna see Ace and Peter. The newer fans never saw them and they don’t know,” Simmons told Linea Rock [via Classic Rock]“But the older fans wonder about Ace and Peter.

J Hus has announced the imminent arrival of his first new album since 2020’s Big Conspiracy. Due out July 14 via Black Butter, Beautiful and Brutal Yard will feature two previously released tracks: his May solo single “It’s Crazy” and the Drake-featuring “Who Told You,” shared earlier this month.

Taylor Swift played her second ‘Eras’ tour gig in Cincinnati last night (July 1), duetting with Aaron Dessner and Gracie Abrams.As the stadium tour of the US rolls on into summer, Swift played two shows in the Ohio city this weekend at the Paycor Stadium.At the second on Saturday night, the ‘surprise’ segment of the show featured two collaborations.

And Just Like That… star Cynthia Nixon has shared her disappointment that the much-hyped cameo appearance by Kim Cattrall in the second series was leaked before it made it to air. 

When it comes to holidays there's so much choice that picking one can often feel a bit overwhelming. But if you're taking children abroad there are some things that are guaranteed to tick the right boxes.

Despite already being an established presenter, Craig Doyle's first appearance on This Morning last year came as a surprise to viewers. But now, more than a year later, fans are regularly calling for him to be a permanent host on the show, particularly since the sudden exit of Phillip Schofield.

The British royal family is renowned for being well dressed and stylish. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that they’re often accessorizing with crown jewels.

Luke Macfarlane opened up in a new interview.

The cast of Friends will always be there for us, but it might just be in the form of re-runs of the beloved sitcom.

Climbing up the property ladder is an ambition for many who have hopes of one day achieving their dream home. But for one couple in Cheshire, the process of buying and selling homes left them with the desire to try something completely new.

With curved doorways, white-washed walls and arches, this unusual Airbnb aims to spirit guests away to the iconic cave properties of the Greek Island - while you are actually in a converted mill in Ancoats.

When Ahmad Alaswad opened his shop on one of north Manchester's busiest high streets, he had high hopes of it becoming a success.

This week, Bolton council debated calls for the borough to leave Greater Manchester after a petition with more than 3,000 names supporting the move was handed in. The petition requested a referendum in the borough on leaving the region and returning fully back into the county of Lancashire – from which it was removed in 1974.

Farid Alfa-Ruprecht has expressed his delight at signing his first professional contract at Manchester City.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer SPOILER ALERT: This interview contains spoilers from the Season 20 finale of Bravo’s “Top Chef.” Buddha Lo became the first ever “Top Chef: World All-Stars” winner Thursday, beating out his finale competition Sara Bradley and Gabri Rodriguez in the Paris-set “Top Chef” Season 20 finale. But Lo’s win was historic beyond that special 20th anniversary season achievement, as he became the first “Top Chef” contestant to ever win two seasons back to back, having claimed victory in Season 19, “Top Chef: Houston.” Adding another layer of prestige, Lo has the honor of being the final contestant to be declared winner by Padma Lakshmi before she exits the cooking competition after 19 seasons as host.

Former “Top Chef” host Padma Lakshmi appeared on “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” this week on Max to reflect on her 17 years hosting the cooking show.Wallace asked Lakshmi about the contestants and the intense conditions they perform under, from heat to crowdedness, and she of course added knives and fire.“You gotta be kind of a mad genius don’t you?” Wallace asked.“To a certain extent, yes, there is a personality type, and it’s not always the best chef that wins ‘Top Chef,’ it’s the guy or the woman who did the best that day,” Lakshmi said. “Sort of like the best team not necessarily wins the World Series, right? So it’s very compelling to watch.

pic.twitter.com/3h9WcVhpAuIn an interview with CNN’s Chris Wallace that aired earlier Thursday, Lakshmi reflected on her time at “Top Chef” and pinpointed what exactly the secret sauce is that makes the reality cooking show so popular and sustainable. “I think it’s because of the contestants,” she said. “I think they’re the real stars of our show.

Alison Herman TV Critic This is going to sound like a backhanded compliment, but I mean it: One of Padma Lakshmi’s most valuable skills as the host of “Top Chef” — a major part of what will be missed when Lakshmi departs the show after the June 8 finale — is product placement. In the crowded, sometimes tawdry world of reality competitions, “Top Chef” is unique in its credibility. The show is effective entertainment, but over 20 seasons in 17 years, the Bravo mainstay has also established itself as an arbiter of taste on par with the Michelin guide. Some of that authority comes from longevity; some from Lakshmi’s fellow judges, chef Tom Colicchio and editor Gail Simmons; some from casting, which has generated a talent pool so formidable that the show frequently circles back to its own alumni, including for this season’s London-set World All Stars. But a great deal of it comes from Lakshmi, a presence so commanding she can deliver phrases like “the Glad family of products” and “furnished by San Pellegrino” without disrupting the show’s carefully constructed sense of gravitas.

Gail Simmons is sharing her thoughts on Padma Lakshmi‘s decision to exit Top Chef.

Padma Lakshmi announced Friday she was leaving after 17 years following the current season, surprising fans of the beloved Bravo cooking competition series.The 52-year-old food expert and author, whose name has become synonymous with the Emmy-winning program, shared in an emotional message on social media that she came to the «difficult decision» to exit after «much soul searching.» Lakshmi's surprise announcement comes just one week before the finale of season 20,, is set to air. «Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer,» she wrote, «I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food.»But what some fans may not know is Lakshmi, who hosts Hulu's food travel series , wasn't with the cooking competition show when it debuted in March 2006. The TV personality replaced cookbook author and food critic Katie Lee, who lasted only one season as host, in the sophomore cycle — and the rest is history. According to 's oral history of , which was published in May, Lakshmi had actually met with executives at NBCUniversal before the cooking competition show even premiered, pitching a dinner party series.

Padma Lakshmi announced Friday she was leaving after 17 years following the current season, surprising fans of the beloved Bravo cooking competition series.The 52-year-old food expert and author, whose name has become synonymous with the Emmy-winning program, shared in an emotional message on social media that she came to the «difficult decision» to exit after «much soul searching.» Lakshmi's surprise announcement comes just one week before the finale of season 20,, is set to air. «Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer,» she wrote, «I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food.»But what some fans may not know is Lakshmi, who hosts Hulu's food travel series , wasn't with the cooking competition show when it debuted in March 2006. The TV personality replaced cookbook author and food critic Katie Lee, who lasted only one season as host, in the sophomore cycle — and the rest is history. According to 's oral history of , which was published in May, Lakshmi had actually met with executives at NBCUniversal before the cooking competition show even premiered, pitching a dinner party series.

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi)Following the annoucement, a NBCUniversal spokesperson told People magazine: "Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravo's Top Chef. Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics' Choice Award-winning series is undeniable.  We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons.  She will always be part of the Top Chef and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges' table anytime."  On the heels of the Instagram post, many of Padma's celebrity pals weighed in. "End of an era and an incredible run.

After nearly two decades, Padma Lakshmi is hanging up her chef hat as she announces her departure from NBC’s “Top Chef”.

A post shared by Padma Lakshmi (@padmalakshmi)Bravo issued a statement on Lakshmi’s departure, saying, “Padma Lakshmi leaves behind an incredible legacy on Bravo’s ‘Top Chef.’ Her impact on the Emmy, James Beard and Critics’ Choice Award-winning series is undeniable. We are grateful to Padma for being a consummate host, judge and executive producer, and for bringing her ingenuity and exceptional palate to each episode where she ate every bite of food on the series for over 17 years and 19 seasons. She will always be part of the ‘Top Chef’ and the NBCUniversal family and has a seat at the judges’ table anytime.”Though Lakshmi came to be the face of the Bravo competition series, she wasn’t its original host. “Top Chef’s” first season was presented by chef Katie Lee with Lakshmi taking over the role in 2006.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Padma Lakshmi is exiting “Top Chef.” The reality show host announced on social media that “Top Chef” Season 20 will be her last run with the beloved Bravo cooking competition series. Lakshmi’s news arrives just a week before the Season 20 finale. “After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave ‘Top Chef,'” Lakshmi wrote in a statement. “Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food.” “After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly,” she continued. “I feel it’s time to move on and need to make space for ‘Taste the Nation,’ my books and other creative pursuits. I am deeply thankful to all of you for so many years of love and support. Sincerely, Padma.”

Padma Lakshmi is saying goodbye to Top Chef.

shocker: Longtime host Padma Lakshmi is leaving after the 20th season.Lakshmi announced her departure on Friday with a heartfelt message on social media, acknowledging that the decision to leave the Bravo cooking competition franchise was a «difficult» one.«After much soul searching, I have made the difficult decision to leave,» the 52-year-old wrote. «Having completed a glorious 20th season as host and executive producer, I am extremely proud to have been part of building such a successful show and of the impact it has had in the worlds of television and food.»«After 17 years, many of the cast and crew are like family to me and I will miss working alongside them dearly.

Padma Lakshmi has nothing but respect for Martha Stewart.