Branding the Emmy Battle: As Lines Between Platforms Blur, Who Gets Credit for Shows Gets Confusing (Column)

Going their separate ways. After five years of marriage, Josh Flagg and Bobby Boyd have called it quits.

Heartbreaking videos of a two-year-old giggling and playing in his mother's arms just a few weeks before being brutally murdered.

EastEnders star and Trevor Morgan actor Alex Ferns looks unrecognisable in the new Hollywood blockbuster film The Batman.The actor, who played Albert Square villain Trevor from 2000 to 2002, stars as Commissioner Pete Savage, alongside Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader in the latest outing for the famous comic book character.The star looks completely unrecognisable as the Commissioner, wearing large glasses that are framed by waves of grey hair and a beard, along with a suit and long coat.Photographs from the new film show the Commissioner looking sternly into the distance, surrounded by fellow officials and police officers during one of The Batman's dramatic scenes.Away from the film, many EastEnders viewers will remember Alex Fern as Albert Square villain Trevor Morgan, who terrorised his on-screen wife Little Mo Slater.Viewers watched as Little Mo became a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her husband in the soap, before she brought an end to months of abuse, after murdering Trevor during an argument.After exiting the soap in 2002, Trevor Morgan actor Alex Ferns has since taken on leading roles in TV series including River City and The Irregulars.However, viewers around the world will soon be introduced to the actor, as he takes on the leading role of the Commissioner in The Batman, which opened in cinemas yesterday (March 4, 2022).The character is a senior officer alongside familiar face James Gordon, played by Jeffrey Wright.However, one of the reasons that the Commissioner may look stern in new photographs from the film, is that he is left unimpressed when James chooses to fight alongside Robert Pattinson's Batman.In addition to Alex Ferns, Jeffrey Wright and Robert Pattinson, the new blockbuster film

Conor McGregor has been criticised after he filmed himself using a butler to fetch him a bottle of water.The UFC star is usually active on social media and often gets very vocal about his rivals, sometimes crossing the line with his digs and insults.His latest online controversy has come in the form of a video where he is seen in a swanky hotel.The 54 second-long clip starts off strange as McGregor appears to breathe in the fumes from a bowl of incense.It then takes a turn as a member of staff brings himself some pills to take.McGregor asks "water as well please" which the butler opens before handing it to the former double-champion.He drinks from the bottle before holding it up in the air in anticipation of the butler coming to collect it and says "thank you" as he does.The Irishman then returns to holding the incense to his face as the video ends. After further social media posts, including one where Nate Diaz's face was put over the butler's, fans condemned McGregor's actions. Do you agree with the criticism? Let us know in the comments section. "A butler? Why?," asked one.

Russia's Education Ministry has released a propaganda video for children to justify the reason behind the war in Ukraine. The department, also known as the Ministry of Enlightenment, announced that it would be holding virtual lessons to explain to the younger generations why the war is necessary.The social media post said: "At the All-Russian Open Lesson, school children will be told why the liberation mission in Ukraine is a necessity."In a video they shared on Facebook, a 12-year-old Sofia Khomenko joined other hosts in front of the camera, saying: "We are going to have a lesson about world peace."Today we are talking about how to help you investigate what is happening."We are talking about events in Ukraine."Her adult co-host answered: "The Ukraine crisis didn't start yesterday and it is just not about Ukraine."There are many images about a war in Ukraine but actually, these are from other conflicts.

Love Island beauty Zara McDermott has opened up about getting Botox at just 25 years of age due to having an "unsymmetrical face".Chatting to followers on Instagram during an eye-opening Q&A session, the brunette beauty answered an array of questions incredibly candidly.One fan probed the star about her ageless face, writing: "Have you done anything to your face? You're so lucky you have literally zero lines!"Zara, who is in a relationship with Made In Chelsea hunk Sam Thompson, then replied to the fan, writing: "Yeah I get forehead botox and have done for years. And I get a crevice in my jaw and chin filled once every 2 years for symmetry that I've spoken about a few times!"As my face is the most unsymmetrical thing you've ever seen (seriously).

Max Verstappen has opened up about his dramatic Formula One world title victory and his bitter feud with rival Lewis Hamilton that it enflamed.The Red Bull driver, who extended his contract until 2028 earlier this week, says he deserves to be champion and insists there's "no reason" to speak to Hamilton, who reportedly considered retirement due to the controversial end to the season.An unprecedented situation unfolded in December as Verstappen and Hamilton went into the final Grand Prix of the year level on points, effectively meaning that whichever driver finished ahead of the other would win the world title.The Brit looked destined to seal a record eight F1 championship victory, and headed into the final few laps with a seemingly uncatchable 11 second lead, but a safety car period allowed Verstappen to make the ground up and he overtook Hamilton on the final lap. In many people's minds, Verstappen's maiden title victory comes with an Asterix, but the Dutchman insists he doesn't care."I believe I deserve to be world champion," he told the Daily Mail.When asked if he'd been in touch with Hamilton during the off-season, he replied: "No.

(CNN)In Batman lore, the police summon the hero by projecting a magnified Bat-signal across the night sky. That's a fitting metaphor for the character's much-debated history in movies, which has cast an unusually large shadow thanks to fans convinced, in their minds, precisely how the Dark Knight should be depicted.Created in 1939, Batman isn't the first superhero or even necessarily the best.

(CNN)There's a new voice coming to the daytime talk show scene.Warner Bros. (which is owned by CNN's parent company) announced Wednesday that Academy Award and Grammy-winning artist Jennifer Hudson will helm a talk show that will air on Fox television stations."I have experienced so much in my life; I've seen the highest of the highs, the lowest of the lows, and just about everything in between but as my mother always told me, 'Once you think you've seen it all, just keep on living,'" Hudson said in a statement.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAfter much conversation about the need during this era of “Peak TV” for the Emmy race to expand the number of nominees in key categories, the Television Academy is doing just that.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeJimmy Kimmel will return to host the 72nd Emmy Awards on ABC, the network and Television Academy announced on Tuesday. This marks the third time Kimmel has hosted the Emmys, following the 64th event in 2012 and 68th in 2016.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThis will truly be the year of the “Semi-Emmys.” That term was thrown around by Television Academy executives back in 2001, when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, followed by the U.S.

Erik Pedersen Managing EditorNational Geographic Networks has greenlighted Consider This, a podcast focused on Emmy season hosted by veteran journalist Stacey Wilson Hunt.The 12-episode series launched Monday and will feature longform interviews with Nat Geo personalities including Dr. Amani Ballour, Bobby Bones, Jeff Goldblum, Dr.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeNational Geographic is getting into the Emmy FYC podcast game. The network has launched “Consider This,” a new 12-episode series that will feature stars and producers from Nat Geo’s Emmy contenders.Guests will include Marcia Gay Harden (“Barkskins,” pictured above), Dr.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Television Academy has canceled this year’s three post-Emmys Governors Balls and has also announced plans to rethink the Creative Arts Emmys as a series of virtual events.The decision to scrap the trio of Governors Ball dinners (which normally take place after the two Creative Arts Emmys ceremonies, as well as the Primetime Emmys telecast) was made “as a precautionary measure to protect the health and safety of Emmy winners, nominees and guests during the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the org said.The TV Academy released the changes on Monday morning, while chairman/CEO Frank Scherma announced a plan to donate $1 million to the Actors Fund’s COVID-19 relief initiative.“This has

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeBack on Feb. 29, Emmy For Your Consideration season kicked off with a unique panel hosted by Warner Bros.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeHBO Max’s premiere event last month for its new romantic anthology series “Love Life” had all the trappings of a typical Hollywood launch fete: The show’s executive producers, along with star Anna Kendrick, opened the festivities with a few words. After screening two episodes, guests were whisked to the after-party, where DJ Michelle Pesce spun tunes in one room as attendees sipped Manhattans and chatted with fellow guests.But these are stay-at-home coronavirus pandemic times, and the “Love Life” event didn’t take place in person.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeLate basketball great Kobe Bryant will be honored with a posthumous Emmy at this year’s Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, the Television Academy announced late Wednesday.Bryant will recieve the 72nd Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award, which was selected by the Los Angeles Area Governors Award committee in honor of Bryant’s “philanthropy, community building and inspiration that extended beyond the basketball court.”According to the org, the award “is presented to an individual, company or organization that has made an outstanding, innovative and visionary achievement in the arts, sciences or management of television as well as a substantial contribution to the greater Los Angeles area.”Spectrum

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargePublic broadcaster KCET, and its stable of locally produced Southern California-centric programming, leads all local TV stations for this year’s Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, scoring 20 nods overall, the Television Academy announced Monday.KCET pulled ahead of Univision-owned KMEX (which it tied with last year), which came in second with 15 nominations. After that was Telemundo’s KVEA, with 13, and then newcomer Spectrum News 1, with 12.Spectrum News 1 was launched in late 2018 by Spectrum Cable, and earned three nominations last year despite launching midway through this year’s eligibility period.

By Michael Schneider

By Michael Schneider