TV viewers are getting really sick of those ‘pandemic specials’

Manori Ravindran International EditorIn a year when a festival darling like Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s “Drive My Car” was able to garner four Oscar nominations, including best picture, questions for the Berlin Film Festival jury — which includes Hamaguchi — centered on the role of film festivals in connecting both arthouse and mainstream audiences.Declaring that he “felt like a kid” at the Berlinale, where his jury will be watching 18 films in all, M. Night Shyamalan sat beaming next to Hamaguchi, who is fresh off his Oscar nomination for best director earlier this week.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefThe impact of COVID-19 was ingrained throughout the annual financial results of CJ ENM, the most diversified entertainment company in South Korea. Music gained ground, while film was lossmaking. Similarly, the group’s streaming business rapidly grew its top line, but its heavy investment costs kept the unit in the red.For the year to end of December 2021, CJ ENM recorded a 5% increase in sales, to KRW3.55 trillion ($2.97 billion), and a 9% increase in operating profit, at KRW297 billion ($248 million), it sais in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Emiliano De Pablos Media giant Mediaset has acquired Italian distribution rights to Spanish writer-director Benito Zambrano’s drama “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake,” produced and sold by Barcelona-based studio Filmax.News of the deal comes just before Filmax screens “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake” to buyers at this year’s online European Film Market.Described as high-quality cinema for adults and predominantly female audiences, “Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake” adapts the novel of the same title by screenwriter and casting specialist Cristina Campos. It has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide.A member of  Spain’s generation of directors that broke out in the 1990s,  helping Spanish movies find far larger favor with audiences at home, Zambrano’s breakout debut, 1999’s “Alone,” won the Panorama Audience Award at Berlin.

MORE: Model and influencer Cristina 'Vita' Aranda shot dead in front of estranged footballer husbandBrittany Dawn Davis is accused of misleading customers who had eating disorders, and engaging in deceptive promises of customized nutrition plans. Brittany Dawn is being sued by the State of TexasThe Texas Attorney General’s office filed the lawsuit against Brittany Dawn Fitness LLC on 1 February and is seeking $250,000 and $1m in penalties and court fees, according to court documents published by The Dallas Morning News.READ: In memoriam: remembering famous faces we lost in 2022MORE: Katie Couric shares shock and heartbreak after sudden lossBrittany started selling online fitness packages in 2014, stating that she offered customized nutritional guidance and fitness coaching.

The 72nd Berlin Film Festival kicks off in physical form today with M. Night Shyamalan leading the main competition jury. Also notable among panelists is Oscar nominee Ryusuke Hamaguchi whose Drive My Car this week became the first Japanese movie ever nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. Hamaguchi was actually on a plane heading to Berlin when the nominations were announced, and only learned of the results upon landing.

A global delay in the supply of equipment has seen the return of West Lothian Council to the ‘new normal’ of hybrid meetings delayed again.

A drug dealer is facing jail after a raid on his Falkirk home found "cannabis throughout the house".

A year after leaving the EU, the real costs of Brexit are becoming clear to many West Lothian businesses.

A football fan wrote his car off after crashing into a parked car and flipping on to its roof.

Rangers star Ianis Hagi may struggle to return before the beginning of NEXT season, according to the Romania manager.

Stacey Solomon fans were stunned after finding out she once dated a seemingly random American star.

her death on Feb. 11, 2012, Whitney Houston showed up to rehearsals for mentor Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala, a glitzy night of music and mingling that she was planning to attend. The star-studded bash — which, held the night before the awards, is always one of the hottest tickets of Grammy weekend — was taking place at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hilton hotel, where the singer was also staying.Houston’s longtime musical director Rickey Minor was putting the band through its paces for the event, and he noticed immediately that something was different about the woman who was like his “little sister.”“She pops into rehearsal, and we hadn’t even started, and it’s 10:30 in the morning,” Minor told The Post.

Nintendo Direct of 2022 has been and gone. Yesterday (February 9), Nintendo fans were treated to around 40 minutes of new trailers, announcements and news for the Nintendo Switch platform.

Craig David on June 2, McFly on June 3 and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell on June 5.McFly’s shows on June 10 at Gloucester Park and July 8 at Lincolnshire Showground have also been cancelled, the band have confirmed. According to a statement on McFly’s Twitter, the gigs have been scrapped due to “reasons entirely out of our control”.Craig David has also confirmed his show at Norwich’s Earlham Park won’t be going ahead, with the singer saying he’s “truly devastated”.pic.twitter.com/n72ONpe15P— Craig David (@CraigDavid) February 10, 2022Following the postponement last year, fans were told they couldn’t get refunds due to the terms and conditions of M&B Promotions’ ticketing company Simple Ticketing, preventing refunds for rescheduled gigs.M&B promotions(easyticketing) cancelled Mcfly in Lincoln and now disappeared with no form of contact! Advised to contact in the email @AskPayPal and own bank for a refund of the tickets, to then find out as it’s over 180 days since purchase of tickets that this won’t be possible— Jasmin (@Jasmin_rose30) February 8, 2022M&B Promotions was created in 2019.

Since announcing her exciting pregnancy news in late January, singer Rihanna has been showing off her blossoming baby bump every chance she can get.The 33 year old is expecting her first child with rapper boyfriend A$AP Rocky, also 33, after the pair got together during the pandemic, back in 2020. Now, the Umbrella hitmaker has been pictured pushing the boundaries of maternity wear as she donned a crop top with a plunging neckline that ties at the front – showing off her baby bump.

Stacey Solomon's home makeovers have her followers hooked, and in a recent update she revealed her amazing living room. The glow-up came after Stacey, 32, had her sofas blasted clean – a very satisfying event for the mum-of-four. Sharing a photo of the newly spruced up cream sofas, the Loose Women star penned: "They're still a little damp & drying out but look so fluffy & clean." Stacey, who recently said she's worried about her wedding guest list, shared that a lot of her fans had asked which cleaning machine she has.

Helen George has returned to social media after responding to the backlash she received over a recent Call the Midwife episode.MORE: Helen George looks angelic in chic collared midi dress during intimate night outTaking to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, the actress - who plays Nurse Trixie Franklin in the beloved period drama - looked flawless as she revealed one of the environmentally-friendly beauty products she adores - a deodorant from We Are Wild.WATCH: Helen George shares impressive beauty secret"I started using this a couple of months ago," she tells her followers. "I was looking to reduce my plastic waste, I'm recycling so much.

Coleen Rooney, 35, has broken her silence a day before her husband Wayne Rooney's documentary premieres on Amazon Prime Video.MORE: Wayne and Coleen Rooney's childhood homes are worlds away from their family mansionTaking to Twitter, the mother-of-four shared a picture of herself and Wayne, 36, taken at the documentary's premiere on Wednesday night, and defended her family.WATCH: Everything you need to know about Coleen - in just 60 seconds"I am who I am... He is who he is...

Carrie Underwood was over the moon to be able to confirm some amazing news on Wednesday - and she couldn't have looked happier. The star took to Instagram with a sweet video clip in which she announced she would be back performing at Stagecoach festival this year. READ: Carrie Underwood's bikini selfie is her most stylish yetCarrie looked radiant in the clip as she said: "I'm so excited to be back headlining the Mane stage for Stagecoach 2022.WATCH: Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher's love story revealed "Been waiting a long time to get back to that Californian desert and I promise it'll be worth the wait."She captioned the post: "Can't wait to be back at @stagecoach!! Who's coming to the desert with us? stagecoachfestival.com."MORE: Carrie Underwood looks sensational in red hot mini skirtMORE: Carrie Underwood shares rare insight into her life as a parentNot surprisingly, her fans went wild and commented: "Yahoo! Girl you look good with your hair like that," and, "So glad to see you performing. Have a great show."A post shared by Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood)Carrie shared a video to confirm her news Others said they were rushing to get their tickets for the country music event.Carrie has been incredibly busy lately, what with her Las Vegas Residency and juggling her sweet family too. MORE: Carrie Underwood's tasseled dress might be her most impressive look yetMORE: Carrie Underwood resembles a Greek goddess with her beautiful gown and flowing hairThe mom-of-two shares her young sons, Isaiah and Jacob, with her husband, Mike Fisher, and they live an idyllic life in Tennessee.

Wayne Rooney is one of the most successful footballers in recent history and England's all-time record goalscorer. However, while his professional life has soared his personal life has faced a fair few ups and downs. Over the years, the father of four who features in a new documentary about his life for Amazon Prime, has been involved in some scandals inevitably widely reported by the newspapers.

Perhaps the biggest pop phenomenon and marketing masterstroke since the Spice Girls' peak in the mid-nineties, t.A.T.u. had the press eating out of their hands when they launched their pop career in 2003 with the global smash All the Things She Said.

Danielle Turchiano Senior Features Editor, TVFive months into the coronavirus pandemic, and Television Academy voters already seem to be over the plethora of remotely produced content created during, and in response to, the new social-distancing health and safety guidelines.