Ireland’s Omniplex Cinema Group Sets UK Expansion With Purchase Of Five Empire Cinema Locations

James Nesbitt is often cast as murder-solving detectives in TV dramas, but this December he’s playing a criminal with a festive twist in Sky’s film The Heist Before Christmas. The Bloodlands star is donning a Santa suit and robbing a bank in this Northern Ireland comedy - and admits that the role is a welcome break from his steady diet of dramas.

Naman Ramachandran Bohemia Media will release “Memory” across U.K. and Ireland cinemas from Feb. 9, 2024.

Wham! taking the lead for the peak position on the charts.The news follows a neck-and-neck race between the iconic ‘80s pop duo Wham! And Eurovision star Sam Ryder over the past week, with their respective songs ‘Last Christmas’ [1986] and ‘You’re Christmas To Me’ [2023].At the first look at the race last week, just 42 chart units stood between the two taking the top spot on the UK charts, however, this week it has been revealed by the Official Charts that Wham! are in pole position, and have widened the gap between Ryder’s Amazon Music original track – which remains at Number Two.However, it doesn’t seem likely that the charts will stay this way until Christmas, with Ryder set to play a fan-exclusive gig tonight (December 19) in Shoreditch, London, in a push to promote the song in time for Christmas Day.Similarly, today (December 19) The Pogues are sharing a special, limited-edition physical run of their own iconic Christmas song ‘Fairytale Of New York’ in a push to climb the charts.Originally released in 1988 and featuring Kirsty MacColl, the track is being reissued in memory of the band’s late singer Shane MacGowan, who died “peacefully” in hospital from pneumonia on November 30. He was 65 years old and his funeral took place in Nenagh, County Tipperary on December 8.All proceeds from the reissue will be donated to the Irish charity Dublin Simon Community, and the release also arrived alongside a fan campaign to get Fairytale of New York to Christmas Number 1 for the first time.The push for the top position on the charts has also been endorsed by Shane MacGowan’s widow, Victoria Mary Clarke.

Shane MacGowan‘s widow has recalled how it felt like she was living on the “edge of some kind of actual destruction” during her long-term relationship with the late Pogues icon.The Irish musician died “peacefully” in hospital from pneumonia on November 30. He was 65 years old.

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor International Film Festival Rotterdam has revealed its selection of 16 feature film projects for the 41st edition of CineMart, running Jan. 28-31. In “Another Journey Without Women” six chain-smoking know-it-alls embark on a tragi-comedic polar expedition in Greenland in 1918.

Julia Bradbury has joined the line-up of The Real Full Monty, which sees celebs strip off in a bid to raise awareness around cancer. The TV star was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 after finding a lump in 2020 that turned out to be a cluster of benign micro-cysts. A scan showed her to have a "high grade" 6cm tumour, which she had removed via surgery.

Helen Flanagan has reportedly joined a 'throuple' with former I'm A Celebrity campmate David Haye, who identifies as being polyamorous, whilst he is still in a relationship with his long-term model girlfriend Sian Osborne.

Helen Flanagan, the former Coronation Street star, has been spotted on a string of dates with David Haye, who is still in a relationship with his long-term girlfriend, Sian Osborne. Sparking speculation that they are in a 'throuple', the duo have reportedly 'reconnected' after meeting 11 years ago while appearing on I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! back in 2012 - being spotted together with Sian in May this year.

A boy was diagnosed with a brain tumour after his mum noticed he was blinking too much. Varden Callaghan, now six, had been blinking excessively, rubbing his eyes and getting irritable since he was eight months old.

Amazon has teamed up with the ODEON Cinema Group to announce the launch of an exclusive offer for Prime members for cheap cinema tickets.

It's soon going to be Christmas, a time of indulgence and some seriously delicious food. Everyone's gearing up to host family and friends and so a little recipe inspiration will always come in handy, especially if you're entertaining someone who is coeliac or gluten-free. A lot of festive food is on ‘Santa’s naughty list’ for those with food intolerances or sensitivities but it doesn't have to be that way.

American indie singer Noah Kahan has announced a huge gig in Manchester next year, which will take place at the city’s newest venue Co-Op Live.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Justine Triet‘s “Anatomy of a Fall” missed out on being chosen as France’s Oscar entry, but the movie has been a critical and commercial hit — including in the U.S., where it’s become the highest-grossing specialized foreign-language release post-pandemic, according to distributor Neon. Released in the States on Oct. 13, “Anatomy of a Fall” has pulled in $3.5 million so far, putting it ahead of Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” and on track to match last year’s Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness,” another Neon movie.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent “The Summer With Carmen,” Zacharias Mavroeidis’ queer comedy, has been acquired in major territories since world premiering at the Venice Film Festival. The movie, which is represented by Be For Films and had its North American premiere at AFI, recently won three prizes at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. It will be released next year by Cinobo in Greece, Epicentre in France and Xenix Filmdistribution in Switzerland.

Hollywood’s long strike season is over and the town can finally get back to work without the specter of any more labor action, for now.

The second season of The Traitors is on its way, with a first look showing host Claudia Winkleman standing among fire, with two mysterious figures behind her. The popular BBC reality show will be back on our screens on Wednesday, 3 January at 9pm on BBC One.The following two episodes will be ready to watch on BBC iPlayer straight after the first episode next year.The show will then be aired on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights.

I was never that keen on Baileys, but when you've spent more than two decades with someone obsessing over the stuff it kind of rubs off.

Oscar-contending documentary The Disappearance of Shere Hite will be making an appearance in cinemas in the U.K. and Ireland within weeks, courtesy of Dogwoof.

Animal, with Thursday previews of just over $1.25 million, looks set for the biggest North American Bollywood opening day since Brahmastra Part 1: Shiva last year. Both star Ranbir Kapoor.

UFC fighter Conor McGregor and his partner Dee Devlin have announced the birth of their fourth child.The proud parents already share Conor Jr, six, Croia, four, and Rian, two.Taking to Twitter, now known as X, to share the wonderful news, he penned: "My baby boy is born! Mammy and baby doing amazing, 8.1lbs of prime Irish double champion beef!" Fans rushed to send their congratulations to the star as one commented: "Congratulations Conor and Dee. God bless the McGregor family", while another added: "Congratulations on being blessed with a strong Irish son!" A third quipped: "congratulations… you’ll both be busy.. Enjoy these special moments".