Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas risks missing first show as she’s struck down by illness days before launch

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter A24 has landed the rights to “Instinct,” an erotic psychological thriller from “Bodies Bodies Bodies” director Halina Reijn. A24 is planning a one-night-only event to release the film on the company’s screening room on Thursday, Sept. 22. Tickets will go on sale Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. ET. “Instinct” had its world premiere at the 2019 Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland and later played at the Toronto International Film Festival. Next Thursday’s screening will be the first time “Instinct” has been available in North America since its pre-pandemic festival debut. Additionally, the evening will mark the first time that A24 uses its screening room to show a film that the indie company has acquired, as opposed to one of its own productions.

Meghan Markle got emotional on Monday during the state funeral of her late grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth III. Dressed in a black dress --  which she paired with a matching wide-brimmed hat, gloves, tights, and heels — the 41-year-old Duchess of Sussex appeared to wipe tears from her eyes during the service which took place at Westminster Abbey.In one photo, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, who is the wife of the queen's youngest son, Prince Edward, appears to be about to comfort Meghan as the former actress has her head bowed down with her hand up to her face.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. There may be no better film from the past year that offers as much inspiration for Halloween costumes than “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” the genre-bending dark comedy that sees Michelle Yeoh interact with dozens of different parallel universe versions of herself in order to prevent worldly destruction. Throughout its 139 minute runtime, viewers are introduced to Yeoh’s Evelyn as a Hong Kong movie star, opera singer, maid, teppanyaki-style chef. But the most memorable scene from the film might be Evelyn’s venture into a world where everybody has sausages for fingers. “The hot dog scene is the most beautiful love story in that universe,” Yeoh, who played Jamie Lee Curtis’s wife in this parallel universe, told Variety. “We had these hot dog fingers; this is where I believe that filmmaking is a complete collaboration on all the different levels. It’s never about one person or two people or whatever it is. It is a true collaboration. And when you work with someone like Jamie, we looked at one another and said, ‘Let’s go for it.’ This version of Evelyn also makes for a perfect (and easy) Halloween costume that anyone familiar with the A24 film will instantly understand. See below for all the best costumes from “Everything Everywhere All at Once” to buy ahead of Halloween: All you need is a pair of sausage fingers to transform yourself into a bewildered Evelyn who finds herself in a hot dog universe, married to Jamie Lee Curtis. But be careful: apparently, these hose-like silicone gloves caused more injuries and bruises than any other fight scene in the film.

Lise Pedersen Beginning today, Cartoon Forum, the annual European pitching & co-production event for animated TV projects, is a mirror of the times we live in, according to its general director, Annick Maes.  “This year’s Cartoon Forum will incorporate the transformations we are going through in one form or another,” she told Variety. “There are a lot of projects about the ecology, about living together – quite a few targeting adults and teenagers.  “They really reflect the times in which times we are living. For example, the impact of women is growing, there are more and more female producers and directors. It’s an industry where we’ve pretty much reached gender parity among our participants. You can’t say the same for fiction or documentary.” 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II began on Monday at 11:00 am local time in London’s Westminster Abbey. Stay up to date with these live updates: Here’s everything you need to know about how, what, and where to watch Elizabeth’s final memorial services. The funeral is set to begin at  local time (), but Monday's events will start at when the doors of Westminster Hall are set to close in preparation for the coffin's procession.The state funeral is a service reserved only for monarchs or extremely important British figures, meaning it is the grandest and most honorable service the palace has to offer. The queen's will be the first state funeral in the United Kingdom since the death of Winston Churchill in 1965. Heads of state and foreign royals will begin the day at the Royal Hospital Chelsea and travel together to Westminster Abbey, where the funeral is set to take place.

Emiliano De Pablos Eight animated TV series projects involving Spanish companies will be presented to buyers and producers attending 2022 Cartoon Forum’s pitching sessions, the event’s main attraction.  Among well-known production companies presenting their latest cartoon shows figure In Efecto Atlantis, the Spanish-French studio behind Disney’s series “Tara Duncan;”Sygnatia, the producer of multi-award winning animated film “Buñuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles,” and Peekaboo Animation, creator of world sales hit series “I, Elvis Riboldi.”  Two of the Spanish projects selected (“My Brother is a T-Rez” and “Polka Dot Zebra”) target preschoolers; five titles (“Bertie’s Brainwaves,” “Best Friends Forever… Stranded!,” “Mervyn’s Album,” “The Little Orchestra” and “Zoey Oceans”) are intended for older children; “Firsts” aims for family audiences.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor When YouTube chief business officer Robert Kyncl announced late last month that he’ll be leaving the company after 12 years in the job, many observers quickly moved him to the front of the line to replace outgoing Warner Music CEO Steve Cooper, who’d announced just two months earlier that he’ll be stepping down after 11 years in the job. After all, Kyncl knows the music industry  — YouTube is both the world’s largest video-streaming platform and the largest music-streaming platform, and he played a huge role in its negotiations with labels and publishers and generally received high marks (remarkably, considering the often-contentious relations between the two sides). He’s also pioneering force in the streaming business: Before he was chief business officer of YouTube, he led Netflix from DVDs to digital, a transition that was much more complex and fraught with potential failure than he and the company made it seem.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Over the weekend, a hacker illegally obtained and leaked unreleased footage from “Grand Theft Auto VI,” the upcoming installment in Rockstar Games’ hit franchise, the studio acknowledged Monday. A user on the GTA Forums posted a 3-gigabyte file — which included 90 videos with “GTA VI” footage, PC Gamer reported. According to the report, the hacker said they may “leak more data soon,” including “GTA V” and “GTA VI” source code, assets and test builds. Rockstar on Monday confirmed the “GTA 6” leak, saying it was “extremely disappointed” about the event. “We recently suffered a network intrusion in which an unauthorized third party illegally accessed and download confidential information from our systems, including early development footage from the next ‘Grand Theft Auto,'” the company said in a tweet.

Emiliano De Pablos The rise of Spain’s animation power promises to provide one of the leading narratives at this year’s Cartoon Forum.   In one of its strongest representations ever at the Toulouse event, eight high-profile TV series projects from Spain will be pitched, trailing only France.   To complete its standout presence, a spotlight on Spain will take place at the Forum, with several networking activities to promote local industry, backed by Spanish trade promotion broad ICEX in collaboration with Diboos, the country’s toon and VFX federation. In recent years, the animation scene has experienced a historic growth, becoming a key sector in the rapidly growing local audiovisual market. 

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The Luang Prabang Film Festival held annually in Laos’ cultural hub will make an in-person return to action in December. The festival operated as a virtual event in 2020 under pandemic conditions. But was forced to cancel its 2021 edition. The town has no permanent movie theater and the festival uses temporary facilities, but previous editions have attracted big crowds. All events are open to the public and are free of charge. Over four days (Dec. 8-11, 2022) organizers will put on a mix of some twenty film screenings, public discussions and Q&A sessions with local audiences. This year, the LPFF will add a second night venue.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Tel Aviv-based Donna and Shula Productions and “Tehran” director Daniel Syrkin have set a joint venture to develop TV series for the global market, with an emphasis on the U.S. and Europe. Donna and Shula Productions leaders Dana Eden and Shula Spiegel have shepherded two seasons of the espionage drama series “Tehran” with Syrkin. The series debuted in June 2020 on Israel’s Kan 11 broadcast network. Apple TV+ quickly picked up the show, making it the first non-English series to premiere on the platform. “Tehran” bowed on Apple TV+ in 2021 and the streaming giant partnered with Kan 11 on the production of a second season that premiered in May.

Zack Sharf Maya Hawke agrees with co-star Millie Bobby Brown about “Stranger Things” having way too many characters. Hawke, who joined the Netflix hit series in its second seasons as Robin, was taking a lie detector test for Vanity Fair when she was asked if fan favorite Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) deserved to die at the end of “Stranger Things 4.” “I don’t think he should’ve died, but I do think the show has too many characters,” Hawke responded. Brown made headlines ahead of “Stranger Things 4” streaming on Netflix by telling press that there are so many actors on the show that they could barely take a photo together on the red carpet at the season’s Hollywood premiere.

was one of tradition and military precision, but there were a number of touching and personal details in honor of Her late Majesty too.Atop her coffin, as well as the glittering crown jewels, was a beautiful floral arrangement which had been chosen carefully by the .Poignantly, the wreath features blooms taken from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, and Highgrove House—each with symbolic meanings. According to the palace, the flowers include rosemary for remembrance.

—put a reassuring hand on her son Prince George's leg as he became emotional during Queen Elizabeth's funeral. Prince George, 9, could be seen wiping his eyes as he and his seven-year-old sister, Princess Charlotte, bid farewell to their beloved “Gan Gan.” You can see the Princess of Wales comfort him and .The Prince and Princess of Wales's children were the youngest members of the royal family to follow the Queen’s coffin through Westminster Abbey in a moving final farewell to the late monarch. The Queen's state funeral saw the royal family come together to remember the late monarch on Monday, September 19 and Prince George and Princess Charlotte arrived by car with their mother. Charlotte, for the first time, wore a formal hat—like all other female family members at the service—and her too.

A Lanarkshire dog racing track is facing an uncertain future after the owners of the stadium expressed interest in demolishing the stadium and replace it with homes, a hotel and possibly shops.

To help even more people of State Pension age access support worth around £3,300 on average each year, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has introduced a new interactive Pension Credit claim form which can be completed online, downloaded and posted to the Pension Service. This could be useful for those who cannot claim the benefit online or over the phone as progress on the 24-page application form can be saved and completed at a later time - find out more about this here.

Councillors fear a shortage of taxis could hurt Bathgate’s night-time economy as it struggles back to its feet following the two-year covid lockdown.

Losing someone you love is sadly something that will happen to all of us at some point.

Looking out the window Muriel MacIntyre waves to the postman who carries a letter addressed to her.

A lot of drag queens sing, but few do it as well Ada Vox.

A sparkling tribute fit for a royal.

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral will take place on Monday 19 September in London before her body is later laid to rest in Windsor. The United Kingdom’s longest reigning monarch will have a state funeral on the day which was deemed a Bank Holiday by her son, King Charles III. Following the funeral, the Queen’s body will be taken to Windsor Castle for a committal service before she is laid to rest at St George’s Chapel.

Barack Obama has shared some personal family memories from their time with the Queen on the day of her funeral.MORE: The Queen's funeral live updates - royal family bid an emotional farewell to the monarchThe former POTUS praised the late monarch for her generosity, especially when it came to his two daughters, Malia and Sasha.In a touching video, Barack said: "She could not have been more kind of thoughtful to me and Michelle."VIDEO: Emotional moments from the Queen's funeral He then recalled a time that the entire family were travelling to London, and how Buckingham Palace had reached out.MORE: Watch: Royals including Prince George and Princess Charlotte sing God Save the King for the first time at Queen's funeralMORE: Queen Elizabeth II's great-grandchildren attend funeral – live updates and photos"Her Majesty had invited Michelle and the two girls to tea. She then offered to drive the two girls around in her golden carriage around the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

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Millions across the globe tuned in as Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning royal in the history of the United Kingdom, was laid to rest on Monday (September 19) in London, England.

A STRICTLY Come Dancing legend looked unrecognisable in a throwback from 20 years ago. The star shared the photo on their Instagram story, comparing it with one of them taken two decades later. Giovanni Pernice wore the same outfit of blue shorts and a yellow belt bag in the "now" photo - with both appearing to have been taken during holidays.

Helen Skelton is soaking up the last of the summer holidays and over the weekend she and her sons head to Ullswater lake in the Lake District to enjoy a spot of paddleboarding.MORE: Helen Skelton's ex Richie Myler shares happy baby newsTaking to her Instagram, the Countryfile presenter shares a gorgeous photo showing her from her back whilst looking on at her two boys, Louis and Ernie, who were onboard a green paddleboard.WATCH: Helen Skelton suffers home disaster after first day at Strictly Come Dancing"Just like that the eldest two are old enough to pinch my board…. Life jackets and eyes on at all times #milestones #lakedays #summer #sup," she captioned the snap.READ: James and Ola Jordan reveal first reactions to Strictly Come Dancing 2022 line-upMORE: Helen Skelton's candid parenting confession will melt your heart - watchHelen looked effortlessly stunning in an open-back black swimsuit, which she simply accessorised with gold hoop earrings and a high ponytail.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor With halftime shows featuring the Weeknd, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, and this year’s all-star combo of Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent, the National Football League has tightened up its game in the entertainment space over the past few years, and that will definitely continue into the new season, judging by a new teaser video featuring Lil Wayne, Saweetie, Pusha T, Young Dylan and more — and even a cameo from the Seattle Seahawks’  DK Metcalf, playing piano on a hip-hop anthem that should be familiar. Also featured in the spots are TikTok/ YouTube star Frankie LaPenna, Buffalo Bills “Mafia” superfan Pinto Ron, pro boxer Ryan Garcia, the Los Angeles Chargers’ Derwin James and the New Orleans Saints’ Cam Jordan.

STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have been left convinced that the show "curse" has struck again - to another of Katya Jones' partners. Last night, Adam Peaty - who competed alongside professional dancer Katya, 33, in the show last year - revealed he had split from his girlfriend Eiri Munro.

STRICTLY Come Dancing star Kaye Adams has revealed the x-rated advice that Ruth Langsford has given her about the show. Kaye, 59, is one of the 15 famous faces taking part in the 20th series of the BBC1 dance competition this year. Luckily one of her Loose Women co-stars has already competed in the programme - and has lots of insider knowledge to share.

Strictly Come Dancing fans will be delighted to know that the BBC's much anticipated dance contest is set to return in a matter of weeks. Strictly has been at the centre of our screens since 2004 airing on Saturday night's from autumn right up until Christmas.

The new series of Strictly Come Dancing will kick off on September 17, former contestant and TV presenter AJ Odudu has announced.The 34-year-old, who was forced to withdraw from the final of the dancing competition last year after suffering a torn ligament, revealed the news on The Big Breakfast alongside co-host Mo Gilligan. She said: “We do have the exclusive that the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2022 is going to be September 17.