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Brisbane will play host to a landmark event as tennis champion and domestic violence survivor Jelena Dokic premieres her powerful documentary. THIS IS THE SCOOP
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Brisbane will play host to a landmark event as tennis champion and domestic violence survivor Jelena Dokic premieres her powerful documentary, Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story, at the Brisbane International Film Festival on November 3.
In a major coup for BIFF, Dokic herself will be on the red carpet for the world premiere at Dendy Cinemas Coorparoo, where fans will get a rare glimpse into the tennis icon’s life story, one that is both heart-wrenching and inspiring.
“The fact that we get the world premiere to be in Australia is very special, I am very proudly an Australian,” she said.
“I can’t wait for Brisbane – and I can’t wait to also meet a lot of people that will be there.”
Unbreakable captures Dokic’s extraordinary journey to tennis stardom, alongside her painful struggles off the court, where she endured years of abuse from her father and former coach, Damir Dokic.
“It’s not an easy watch,” she shared, “but difficult stories need to be told in order to be able to change something.”
For the first time on screen, Dokic’s experiences will be shared through the eyes of those who witnessed the turmoil, with tennis icons Lindsay Davenport and Pam Shriver offering their perspectives on the young girl trapped in a “hostage situation.”
Recalling the chilling insight from one journalist, Dokic shared, “He described it perfectly, because that’s what it was … a hostage situation.”
“I was saying things my father was telling me to say, and if I didn’t, who knows if I would survive another beating at home behind closed doors.”
The response to Unbreakable has already been overwhelming, with Dokic’s social media lighting up and tickets to the premiere selling out quickly.
“I did one post on Instagram with the trailer and it’s just incredible, it’s got 300,000 views in two days. I think people are really excited about it,” she said.
Despite the rush of excitement, Dokic admitted feeling “positively anxious” ahead of the premiere, where she hopes to spark meaningful conversations about domestic violence and resilience.
“I want someone just maybe one day to say, ‘You know what? Jelena did it, and I can do it too’, and she’s given me that inspiration. So that’s my hope, to get out of this.,” Dokic said.
POLITICIANS FLEX THEIR MUSCLES
Renowned gym junkie Steven Miles took to social media this week in the dying days of the state election campaign to show himself bench-pressing a personal best 100kg.
While an impressive feat, there’s one man who has the now possibly former premier well and truly bested as Queensland’s strongest pollie – Tom Tate.
The barrel-chested Gold Coast mayor has a PB of a 165kg for the bench press. True, that was set almost 20 years ago but he still claims to be regularly benching 140kg.
The 65-year-old will put his strength to the test in the powerlifting at next month’s Pan Pacific Masters Games on the Goldy.
DJ PAUL FISHER FINDS THE SURF IN MIDDLE EAST
Gold Coast-based international DJ Paul ‘The Fish’ Fisher returned to his roots this week, showing off his surfing prowess at the new Kelly Slater wave park in Abu Dhabi.
Fisher was an up-and-coming pro surfer before hitting the big-time with hits such as Losing It, You Little Beauty and Stop It.
He’s been on tour in Europe (where he was named international DJ of the Year in Ibiza) and the US, with wife Chloe and their baby daughter Bobbi in tow.
This week, Fisher posted a video of him carving up the Surf Abu Dhabi wave pool which has just opened in the United Arab Emirates.
Designed by surfing legend Slater’s wave pool company, the park has just been announced as a stop on next year’s World Surf League championship tour.
That decision sparked outcry from supporters of Australia’s openly gay two-time world surfing champ Tyler Wright, with homosexuality illegal in the UAE.
WAYNE BENNETT’S FOCUS ON DIFFERENT SPORT
He’s always been one to paddle his own canoe – now supercoach Wayne Bennett will be the keynote speaker at a national rowing conference on the Gold Coast.
The 74-year-old NRL coaching legend, who takes the reins of the South Sydney Rabbitohs next season after a two-year stint as foundation coach of league newcomers the Dolphins, will share his insights on elite sport at the Oceana Rowing and Sports Science Conference at Griffith University’s Coast campus starting next Thursday.
Bennett will deliver the conference’s keynote speech titled Achieving the Extraordinary: Insights into High Performance Team Creation.
The seven-time premiership winner will no doubt be hoping for some higher performance from the Bunnies after their second-last placing this year.
WATCH FAREWELLED FOR OWN WORLD TOUR
Some of Brisbane’s top movers and shakers have gathered over canapes and bubbles to ogle a $530,000 watch before it heads off on a world tour.
Clients of high-end Sydney jeweller Stefano Canturi joined him at his Edward St salon in the CBD this week to try on the Cubism High Jewel Diamond Edition watch.
Costing not much below a median-priced Queensland home unit, the one-off timepiece features more than 55 carats of “carre and baguette-cut diamond”, the finest Swiss movements and Italian leather strap.
Guests at the VIP soiree included Chemist Warehouse founders and philanthropists Brett and Maria Clark and City Beach surf shop chain founders Carmelo and Joanne Ierna.
The event was catered by acclaimed Brisbane restaurateur Phillip Johnson who dished up decadent hors d’oeuvres washed down by Moet & Chandon and Aperol Spritzes.
While the Canturi High Jewel Diamond Edition watch is off on a world tour to New York, Los Angeles, London and Paris, a plain old Canturi Cubism Diamond model can be yours for a mere $47,800.
Canturi jewels have featured in Hollywood films including Moulin Rouge while Stefano Stefano Canturi designed a unique Barbie for Mattel, featuring a Cubism pink diamond necklace, which was auctioned by Christie’s in New York in 2010 for $302,500 for charity – making it the most expensive Barbie ever sold.
MAM INSTAGRAM DELETED AFTER CRASH
Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam has deleted his Instagram account after voluntarily entering a rehabilitation clinic on Monday, following a head-on car crash and an alleged failed roadside drug test.
The 21-year-old, whose Instagram handle @ezra.mam has since been disabled, checked himself into a professional rehabilitation facility, according to a statement released by his management team.
No posts from Mam’s account are visible on the social media platform, which he wiped clean shortly after seeking treatment.
“Ezra is extremely remorseful,” the statement from his management read.
“He acknowledges he’s facing some personal challenges and, following these recent events, has taken a proactive step by seeking immediate professional treatment. We will continue to support him throughout this process and will not make any further comments at this time.”
Mam was involved in a two-car head-on collision in Brisbane on October 18, where he collided with an Uber driver. In addition to the crash, Mam was reportedly driving unlicensed and failed a roadside drug test. No charges have been laid as authorities await the results of a secondary test using blood samples.
UNREST AS SEVEN CHAMPIONS NEW ANCHOR
7News Queensland’s latest promotional campaign celebrating the arrival of new co-anchor Sarah Greenhalgh has reportedly stirred up controversy among industry peers, with insiders calling it “disrespectful” to past anchors and seemingly dismissive of veteran journalists at rival networks.
In the new promo, 7News anchor Max Futcher introduces Greenhalgh, 34, with the bold statement, “You are going to have two people committed to the news like you’ve never seen before in Queensland.”
Sources have claimed this remark has ruffled feathers, with some interpreting it as a “jab” towards Futcher’s former co-anchor Sharyn Ghidella, who was let go by the network earlier this year and now leads the 5pm bulletin at 10 News First.
The phrase has also sparked speculation that it indirectly targets other respected Brisbane anchors, including 9News’s Melissa Downes and Andrew Lofthouse.
“Many see this promo as not only a jab at Sharyn but also a snub to veteran presenters who’ve been in the game for years,” an industry insider said.
“It’s just disrespectful”.
Adding to the controversy, Futcher’s reference to Greenhalgh as “still young” in the promo has reportedly sparked criticism, with insiders interpreting it as an insinuation that Ghidella, 57, who was replaced by Greenhalgh, was deemed “too old” for the position.
Industry insiders have noted that Downes, who recently turned 51, may also feel the sting of Futcher’s age-focused comments.
Critics have also pointed to other recent promos from 7News that appear to take swipes at rival journalists. In the lead-up to the state election, a 7News promo referred to its state political editor, Marlina Whop, as “Queensland’s respected editor,” which some insiders believe was intended to undermine 9News political editor Tim Arvier.
MONK: ‘OH COOL, I’VE STILL GOT A JOB’
Sophie Monk has addressed the rumours that influencer Skye Wheatley is set to take her spot as the host of Love Island Australia, revealing she was just as surprised as fans.
She told The Scoop that by the time stories about her replacement were reported she had already filmed promotional material for the show’s latest season, set to premiere on October 28.
The rumours that Wheatley, 30, was a frontrunner for the role were first reported on September 24. Just a day later there were claims Channel 9 had backed away from Wheatley due to her recent cosmetic surgery — namely a fox eye lift in Turkey.
Reflecting on the frenzy, Monk said, “I’d already shot the commercial at that point, but by the time I heard the news, she’d already been ‘fired’ from the hypothetical job because of the cat eye surgery or something. So I was like, ‘Oh, cool. I’ve still got a job!’”
Wheatley has since clarified that any claims of her joining Love Island were unfounded, calling the rumours “clickbait.”
Despite the media circus, Monk said that she has no intention of leaving her coveted role.
“I wouldn’t want to leave. I feel like I’ve got one of the best jobs in the world, and I get to go to Mallorca. It’s pretty awesome.”
However, she remains realistic about the nature of the TV industry.
“Every year I read that I’m getting replaced for love island in an article with someone else,” she said.
“But in this industry, you can be replaced in a second, you never know. But I’d love to host it forever.”
Season 6 of Love Island Australia, filmed in picturesque Mallorca, Spain, will premiere on Monday, October 28, at 5pm AEST on 9 Now.
With Monk at the helm, she promises the new season is “better than ever” and packed with drama.
“It’s a really solid season. We throw so much at them,” she teased.
BOB GELDOF HITS BRISBANE TOWN
Iconic singer-songwriter Bob Geldof has made an unexpected appearance in Brisbane on Friday, surprising fans and film buffs alike on the red carpet for The Red at Dendy Powerhouse’s outdoor cinema, as part of the 2024 Brisbane International Film Festival.
Although the film — about a murderous zombie kangaroo terrorising a remote Australian town — doesn’t feature Geldof, he attended to support friends involved in the production and to show his appreciation for the local film scene.
Geldof is currently in Australia working on a separate project, Zombie Plane, starring action icons Chuck Norris, Vanilla Ice, and Sophie Monk.
In the film, which is being shot on location in Brisbane, Geldof plays himself as a passenger on a flight overrun by zombies.
Originally published as The Scoop: Latest gossip from world of sport, politics and entertainment
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