Biggest celebrity stories of 2017
IT’S been a year filled with sleaze, splits and some heartwarming love stories. These were the biggest celebrity Confidential stories of 2017.
Confidential
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IT’S been a year filled with sleaze, splits and some heartwarming love stories.
These were the biggest celebrity Confidential stories of 2017.
Lisa Wilkinson quits Nine’s Today show
Nine executives would still be quietly kicking themselves for letting Lisa Wilkinson go. News of Wilkinson’s departure from the network’s flagship breakfast show, Today, opened a much larger debate over the pay differences between men and women on Australian television. Wilkinson jumped ship to Channel Ten over pay discussions. It was later revealed she was earning around half of her Today co-host Karl Stefanovic’s more than $2 million salary package.
“What inspires me in work and in life is to be best version of me I can be,” Wilkinson told BW magazine earlier this month.
“And a big part of that is to keep learning, keep growing, and to keep challenging myself. And 2017 has certainly been a lesson in all of that.”
Wilkinson, 58, will start her new job at Ten’s Sunday Project at the end of January.
Harvey Weinstein and the Me Too Movement
Harvey Weinstein’s uncovering as a serial predator in Hollywood created a much broader discussion around the industry’s covering up of such behaviour for many decades. Countless women came forward with stories of abuse, among them Kate Beckinsale, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ashley Judd. Several high profile Hollwyood leading men were implicated in the scandal, not for their abuse but for enabling Weinstein.
Russell Crowe and Matt Damon were implicated when a report alleged they helped bury an expose on Weinstein’s alleged misconduct in 2004. The ongoing saga sparked the #metoo movement on social media with women around the world sharing their stories of abuse. In Australia, women came out with stories of harassment by TV gardener Don Burke.
Miranda Kerr Wedding
Model mum Miranda Kerr wore custom Dior when she walked down the aisle for the second time. Having previously been married to Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom, the 34-year-old wed 27-year-old billionaire Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel in July and four months later the couple announced she is pregnant with her second child. Kerr is already mother to young son, Flynn, from her marriage to Bloom.
Ben McCormack
Disgraced A Current Affair reporter Ben McCormack was sentenced to a three-year good behaviour bond and ordered to pay a $1000 fine after the former Channel Nine employee pleaded guilty to two child porn charges. While McCormack did not have any child abuse material, the sentencing was criticised by many for being too light given he had boasted of being a “proud ped” and “proud b (oy) lover”.
#jacketgate
News reader Amber Sherlock’s profile took a major boost thanks to the leaking of footage of an off-air spat with colleague Julie Snook over the pair both wearing white.
“You need to put a jacket on Julie,” is the now infamous line from Sherlock’s outrageous outburst that painted her as the villain of Aussie TV news. Snook’s profile also rose thanks to the ugly incident.
Marriage Equality
Same-sex marriage vote and the support from celebs across the globe congratulating Australia
Magda Szubanski’s joy at hearing news the Australian public had voted resoundingly in favour of same sex marriage is one of Confidential’s favourite shots of the year. The Kath & Kim star was one of the high profile celebrities to spearhead the yes campaign, joined by the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Ian Thorpe, Matthew Mitcham, Margot Robbie, Kylie Minogue, Cate Blanchett and Hugh Jackman.
Nicole Kidman
The year 2017 will be remembered as Nicole Kidman’s renaissance year but also the year Australia fell in love with our biggest Hollywood star all over again. Kidman, who celebrated her 50th birthday in June, started the year with an Academy Award nomination for Lion. She then swung through with hit US miniseries Big Little Lies, for which she picked up a Primetime Emmy Award. And then came Foxtel’s Top Of The Lake: China Girl, directed by Jane Campion. Earlier this month, Kidman made history by picking up best supporting actor gongs in both film and television categories at the AACTA Awards for Lion and Top of the Lake.
“I was astounded,” Kidman told Confidential. “Being able to be a part of the industry like that, it was amazing. I am sort of shocked. I have been around for so long now and so I know pretty much everyone in the industry so maybe that helped. For me, to be able to work with (directors) Garth (Davis) and Jane (Campion), and always, as much as it is about actors, any actor will tell you are only as good as the director really. They are stellar directors. It is good for the industry to keep them there.”
Royal Engagement
It was the royal engagement we all knew was coming — Prince Harry and actor Meghan Markle finally announced their engagement on November 27. There’s an Australian connection too with Markle wearing local designer Ralph & Russo (Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo) in official photographs released with the announcement. With the couple set to wed in May, the big question now is where will they honeymoon? We’re hoping Down Under just quietly.
Sophie Monk
After predictably choosing multi-millionaire Stu Laundy as her leading man on The Bachelorette, the couple keep us guessing. Will they or will they not last the distance. Laundy is a father of four, not yet divorced from the mother of his children, who famously underwent a vasectomy. Meanwhile, Monk has often spoken of her desire to become a mum, and sooner rather than later. For now, the couple is together holidaying in the snow in Canada. For how long, we can’t be sure.
Grant Hackett
Troubled former swimming star hit the headlines when he was arrested at his parents’ house on the Gold Coast.
The plot deepened when Hackett posted a bizarre Instagram post allegin his brother “beat the s---” out of him. Hackett’s father spoke very publicly at the time about his son’s mental health, with the athlete forced to publicly apologise for his behaviour.
Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough
From the moment the Today show host was photographed with his wandering hands on the young blonde’s legs about a luxury boat, Sydney was obsessed with the new couple.
It has been a rollercoaster in the spotlight for the pair who have jumped into the deep-end. In just over 12 months the have travelled the world together, moved in together and become fixtures on the social scene.
Kelly Landry / Anthony Bell
Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs went into gossip overdrive when the former TV presenter lodged for an apprehended violence order against her celebrity account husband.
While the order was rejected in court, all their dirty laundry was made very public during the process. Footy Show host Erin Molan was dragged into the saga when Landry testified Landry thought “something was going on” between her husband Molan and challenged him about their “odd” relationship. Molan hit out saying it was “so unfair” and that there was not one iota of truth to the speculation.
Roxy Jacenko and Oliver Curtis
The PR queen will surely be happy to wave goodbye to 2017. Jacenko who normally is very savvy at controlling the headline was caught red handed pashing her ex-boyfriend Nabil Gazal Jnr as her husband spent his last few weeks in jail. The couple put the PR spin into overdrive to show they have put their dramas behind them with Jacenko claiming life is better than ever as she continues to build her profile as a ‘celebrity ambassador’ spruiking brands.