This week has brought triumph and tears to some of your favorite celebrities. We’ve gathered some of the top entertainment news stories from December 4 – 10, 2022, to keep you updated on all the celebrity happenings.
Entertainment News: Love & Family
Nina Long and Ime Udoka are over. The couple announced their break up on Tuesday. This comes after Udoka was accused of having an affair with a subordinate on his team. They shared they are fully committed to co-parenting their son Kez.
Keke Palmer had SNL fans cheering after confirming her pregnancy last week. She and Darius Daulton are looking forward to being parents. You can watch the cold open skit by clicking here.
Illness and Injury
Al Roker is on the mend. The Today show anchor was hospitalized for the second time last week to receive treatment for blood clots. Roker is celebrating being on the mend.
Rod Stewart’s family suffered a terrifying event when his son was rushed the to hospital. The family says the 11-year-old was going blue and unconscious during a soccer game. Thankfully, he is okay and on the mend from a panic attack.
Celine Dion has put her tour and events on hold to deal with her health. The star took to social media to share her rare diagnosis of Moersch-Woltman syndrome – known as Stiff Person Syndrome. You can see her announcement by clicking here.
Also putting her tour on hold is LeAnn Rimes. The country music superstar said she has a bleed on her vocal cords and needs to take a step back. Fans can read her post here.
Chris Kattan was admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery this week. The news came on December 8th the SNL alum is sickly with severe pneumonia. Thankfully, he is on the mend.
Entertainment News: Celebrity Scandals & Hot Topics
WNBA player Brittney Griner is back in the US. She was released after a prisoner trade between America and Russia. To bring her home the US agreed to release Viktor Bout.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago revoked Kanye West’s honorary degree in light of his anti-semitic remarks. In their letter, they cited “His anti-Black, antisemitic, and incendiary statements, particularly those directed at Black and Jewish communities, are disgusting and condemnable”. Kanye received the prestigious accolade in 2015.
Mere weeks after the death of Aaron Carter, his brother Nick is in a whole lot of trouble. Nick Carter is being sued for sexual battery due to allegations stemming from an incident with a minor in 2001. Nick denies the incident. TMZ has the full story.
Britney Spears fans were up in arms this week after strange posts on the star’s Instagram followed by her platform being erased. Her husband, Sam Ashghari, took to his Instagram to clarify his wife was stepping away from the spotlight but fans remain skeptical she’s doing well.
Casting & Changes
Matt Lucas stunned The Great British Baking Show fans on Tuesday when he announced he wouldn’t be returning. The co-host said he is “cheerfully passing the baguette to someone else.” Lucas was a mainstay on the show for three series.
Good news Rush Hour fans, part four is on the way! Jackie Chan confirmed he is in talks for the next installment and he’ll soon be meeting with the film’s director to discuss the script.
Entertainment News: In Memoriam
December 5th was a very sad day for Kirstie Alley’s fans. Her family announced on Twitter the actress died shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. Kirstie spent decades on the big and small screen in hit roles. She received a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy for her role as Rebecca Howe in Cheers. She also took home a second Emmy for playing Sally Goodson in the miniseries David’s mother. Alley received a Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1995.
Sesame Street lost a much-loved alum this week. December 4th marked the death of Bob McGrath who was known to children far and wide as Bob Johnson from the show’s inception in 1969 all the way to 2017. He was 90 years old.
My Big Fat Famous Life’s Barbara “Babs” Thore passed away on December 8th. The show’s star, Whitney Way Thore, amounted her mother’s death on Instagram. Babe was 76 years old.
Parks and Recreation actress Helen Slayton-Hughes died at the age of 92 on December 8th. Although she had many roles over her career, her role as court stenographer Ethel Beavers for 4 seasons on the NBC sitcom was considered her signature role.
Longtime Soccer Commentator Grant Wahl collapsed after leaving the Netherlands-Amsterdam game at the World Cup in Qatar. He passed away at 48 and the details remain unclear. He had been detained and harassed earlier for wearing a rainbow shirt. Get the full report here.
Ruth Madoc, a legend in British Entertainment, passed away after emergency surgery from a fall earlier this week on December 9. She was best known for her iconic TV character, Grace Pugh, on the sitcom Hi-de-Hi!. She was just 79.
Actor Gary Friedkin passed away after a difficult three weeks in hospice from complications from COVID. Proudly a part of the organization Little People of America, the actor tackled his height with comedy in roles such as Happy Days, an Ewok in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, and Young Doctors in Love. He was 70.
Actress June Blair passed away of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, California. Blair made her mark as Playmate of the Month in January 1957 and began landing more substantial roles in films like Hellbound, The Rabbit Trap, and Island of Lost Women. In 1961, she married David Nelson after joining the cast of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. She was 90.
Ronnie Turner, the son of Ike and Tina Turner, passed away at 62 in Encino, California, on December 8. The cause of death is still pending.
Georgia Holt, the beloved mother to singer/actress Cher and her sister Georganne LePierre, passed away after a long illness at the age of 96. The cause of death has not been released.
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