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New Zealand’s prime minister has distanced herself from plans for a film that would focus on her response to the Christchurch mosque attacks.

US-based FilmNation Entertainment is in the early stages of producing a film called They Are Us – the title is a line from one of Jacinda Ardern’s speeches in the days after the attacks.

But the plans have been criticised by many New Zealanders, some unhappy about reports that the film will focus on the prime minister, leaving the victims in the background.

Others have said the 15 March 2019 tragedy is still too raw and that Hollywood should not be able to profit from the suffering of those who are still recovering or grieving.

Ms Ardern told news website Stuff: “While it’s for the community to speak for themselves, it’s my view 15 March remains very raw for New Zealand.

“There are plenty of stories from 15 March that could be told, but I don’t consider mine to be one of them.”

She also confirmed she “had nothing to do with the film in any form and wasn’t consulted on it”.

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Fifty-one people were killed when Australian white supremacist Brenton Tarrant opened fire on worshippers in the two mosques.

Flowers are also being left at a memorial site at Christchurch's botanic ardens
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They are us – the prime minister’s words about the attack’s victims

He was jailed for life without parole last August for the 51 murders, 40 attempted murders and a charge of terrorism.

But in the days after the attacks, New Zealanders were praised for uniting in compassion for the victims and their community, led by Ms Ardern.

She was also lauded for her successful efforts to ban the deadliest types of semi-automatic weapons in the country.

According to Hollywood news outlet Deadline, which broke news of the film, Ms Ardern will be played by Australian actress Rose Byrne.

The film will be made in New Zealand and directed by New Zealand filmmaker Andrew Niccol.

But more than 23,500 people have signed a petition calling for the movie to be abandoned and the hashtag #TheyAreUsShutdown was trending on Twitter in New Zealand on Friday.

Omar Nabi speaks to the media about losing his father Haji Daoud in the mosque attacks, at the district court in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 16, 2019
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Omar Nabi lost his father Haji Daoud in the attacks

Those behind the petition said the film’s focus on white voices “will continue to white-wash the horrific violence perpetrated against Muslim communities”.

Niccol “has not experienced racism or Islamophobia” so he should not “lead and profit” from a “story that is not his to tell”, they added.

Deadline reported that the film’s script was developed in consultation with several members of the mosques who were affected by the tragedy but this has been disputed by members of New Zealand’s Muslim community.

Survivor Farhid Ahmed poses with a photo of his wife Husna, who was killed in the attack
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Survivor Farhid Ahmed poses with a photo of his wife Husna, who was killed in the attack

Sondos Qur’aan, co-chair of the National Islamic Youth Association, said the movie “is insensitive and would only serve to invalidate the experiences of survivors and victims of the attack and cannot be supported by our organisation”.

Fellow co-chair Haris Murtaza added: “The shuhadaa’ (martyrs), their families, and the wider victim community deserve to be thoroughly consulted and at the heart of any projects that relate to the 15 March terror attacks.

“Entities and individuals should not seek to commercialise or profit from a tragedy that befell our community, neither should such an atrocity be sensationalised.”

Mohamed Hassan, who hosts podcast The Guest House, which explored how Muslims made sense of the attacks, told Radio NZ: “In its essence, (the film) is a story about an act of white supremacy that is centred around white voices, white feelings and white heroism. The irony is nauseating. The lack of self-awareness is profound.”

Sky News sought comment from FilmNation early on Saturday but Niccol earlier told Deadline: “They Are Us is not so much about the attack but the response to the attack [and] how an unprecedented act of hate was overcome by an outpouring of love and support.

“The film addresses our common humanity, which is why I think it will speak to people around the world. It is an example of how we should respond when there’s an attack on our fellow human beings.”

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Former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter Quentin Willson dies

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Former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter Quentin Willson dies

Former Top Gear and Fifth Gear presenter Quentin Willson has died.

The Leicester-born car dealer and motoring journalist joined the BBC show in 1991, appearing alongside the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and James May, until the original format was cancelled 10 years later.

He then moved to Channel 5 to join its rival motoring show, Fifth Gear, and did not rejoin when Top Gear relaunched in 2002.

The 68-year-old died on Saturday following a short battle with lung cancer, his family said.

Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

In a statement, they described him as a “true national treasure” who “brought the joy of motoring, from combustion to electric, into our living rooms”.

The broadcaster created and presented both Britain’s Worst Drivers and The Car’s The Star.

He went on to perform on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, where he continues to hold the lowest score in the show’s history.

He was also an avid “consumer champion”, having advocated for a number of campaigns, including helping to freeze fuel duty with his FairFuel campaign.

He recently worked “tirelessly” to make electric vehicles affordable through his FairCharge campaign, his family said.

The statement continued: “Long before it was fashionable, he championed the GM EV1 and the promise of electric cars, proving he was always ahead of the curve.

“Much-loved husband to Michaela, devoted father to Mercedes, Max and Mini, and cherished grandfather to Saskia, Xander and Roxana.

“Quentin will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who knew him personally and professionally.

“The void he has left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived; a library of experience now beyond our reach.”

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Davina McCall reveals breast cancer diagnosis a year after brain tumour surgery

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Davina McCall reveals breast cancer diagnosis a year after brain tumour surgery

Davina McCall has revealed she has had breast cancer, nearly a year after she had surgery to remove a brain tumour.

The TV presenter revealed the diagnosis in a video posted to her Instagram on Saturday, saying she was “very angry” when she found out, but now is in a “much more positive place” after undergoing surgery to remove the tumour three weeks ago.

“I found a lump a few weeks ago. It came and went but then I was working on The Masked Singer and Lorraine, the TV show, and Lorraine Kelly had put signs on the backs of all the doors saying ‘check your breasts’ and every time I went for a wee, I did that,” she said.

“It was still there, and then one morning I saw myself in the mirror and thought ‘I’m going to get that looked at’. I had a biopsy. I found out it was indeed breast cancer and I had it taken out in a lumpectomy nearly three weeks ago.”

McCall, 58, said the “lump” was “very, very small” and was discovered early.

Davina McCall said she had surgery to remove the "lump" three weeks ago. Pic: PA
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Davina McCall said she had surgery to remove the “lump” three weeks ago. Pic: PA

“I am so relieved to have had it removed and to know that it hasn’t spread. My lymph nodes were clear, I didn’t have any removed, and all I’m going to do now is have five days of radiotherapy in January as kind of an insurance policy,” she explained.

The former Big Brother presenter thanked her medical team, family and fiance for their support, before adding: “It’s been a lot. I was very angry when I found out, but I let go of that, and I feel in a much more positive place now.

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“I think my message is: get checked if you’re worried. Check yourself regularly. If you are due a mammogram, then get it done.

“I have dense breasts and I had a mammogram in August, and I was postponing the ultrasound; I just couldn’t find time to do it. Don’t do that. Get the ultrasound.”

Her breast cancer diagnosis came nearly a year after McCall revealed that she had a benign brain tumour, a colloid cyst, which she described as “very rare”.

McCall revealed last November that she had a benign brain tumour. Pic: PA
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McCall revealed last November that she had a benign brain tumour. Pic: PA

She said in a video posted in November last year that chances of having it were “three in a million” and that she had discovered it several months previously after a company offered her a health scan in return for giving a menopause talk.

McCall rose to fame presenting on MTV in the mid-1990s, and later on Channel 4’s Streetmate, before becoming a household name as the host of Big Brother from 2000 to 2010.

She’s gone on to present programmes across the networks, and currently presents ITV dating show My Mum, Your Dad.

In recent years, McCall has spoken regularly on women’s health and the effects of menopause in a bid to break taboos around the subject. Her 2022 book, Menopausing, won book of the year at the British Book Awards.

McCall's brain cancer was found after she was offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work. Pic: PA
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McCall’s brain cancer was found after she was offered a health check-up as part of her menopause advocacy work. Pic: PA

The same year, McCall fronted the Channel 4 documentary Davina McCall: Sex, Mind And The Menopause, and told the BBC that perimenopausal symptoms caused her difficulties multi-tasking and she considered that she had a brain tumour or Alzheimer’s disease at the time.

In 2023, she was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting.

The presenter has previously raised money for Cancer Research UK by running the Race For Life in honour of her late sister, Caroline Baday, who died from lung cancer in 2012 at the age of 50.

Read more from Sky News:
Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy nods
Celebrity Traitors star reveals double-bluff

Married twice, McCall has three children, two daughters and a son, with her second husband, presenter Matthew Robertson.

She lives with her fiance, hairdresser Michael Douglas, and presents a weekly lifestyle podcast with him, called Making The Cut.

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Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy nominations as K-pop makes it mark

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Kendrick Lamar leads Grammy nominations as K-pop makes it mark

Kendrick Lamar is leading this year’s Grammy nominations, up for nine trophies, including record, song and album of the year.

The 38-year-old swept last year’s awards, taking home five gongs for his hit dis track Not Like Us.

The varied bag of Grammy nominees – featuring big names and a few surprises – also saw K-pop stars, a knighted British rocker and a Hollywood leading man make it into the Grammy competition.

Lady Gaga earlier this year. Pic: AP
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Lady Gaga earlier this year. Pic: AP

Lady Gaga (who is up for record, song and album of the year too), Jack Antonoff and Canadian record producer-songwriter Cirkut follow Lamar with seven nominations each.

Sabrina Carpenter got six nods, matching her nomination tally for last year.

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Alongside Lamar’s GNX, other albums to make it into the best album category this year include Lady Gaga’s Mayhem and Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos (only the second all-Spanish language album to be nominated in the category, following the Puerto Rican rapper’s 2023 all-Spanish album Un Verano Sin Ti).

They are all potential first-time winners in the category.

Sabrina Carpenter is up for six awards. Pic: AP
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Sabrina Carpenter is up for six awards. Pic: AP

Also up for the top album prize are Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, Justin Bieber’s Swag, Clipse, Pusha T & Malice’s Let God Sort Em Out, Leon Thomas’s Mutt, and Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia.

Despite releasing a new album earlier this year, Taylor Swift, didn’t make it on to the best album nominees as The Life Of A Showgirl came out after the close of the eligibility period. The window ran from 31 August 2024 to 30 August 2025.

Rosé from Blackpink. Pic: AP
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Rosé from Blackpink. Pic: AP

K-pop gets its moment

With K-pop typically ignored by the Grammys (BTS are the only K-pop artists to previously get a nod) this year saw two K-pop tracks in contention for best song.

Golden, the lead track from global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters and APT, the megahit by former Blackpink member Rosé alongside Bruno Mars, both made it on to the list.

Rosé got nods in four other categories, including best record, while KPop Demon Hunters got three other nominations, including in the best pop duo/group performance category.

Lola Young is up for best new arist. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP
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Lola Young is up for best new arist. Pic: Amy Harris/Invision/AP

British artist Lola Young, who is the niece of acclaimed children’s writer Julia Donaldson, got a nod in the best new artist category, alongside Olivia Dean. Both topped the UK charts this year.

They will compete against KATSEYE, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas and Alex Warren. Last year the category was won by Good Luck, Babe! singer Chappell Roan.

Sir Elton John in Never Too Late. Pic: Walt Disney Pictures
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Sir Elton John in Never Too Late. Pic: Walt Disney Pictures

Timothée Chalamet is up for a Grammy

In less expected Grammy news, Sir Elton John also got a nod alongside US singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile for the song Never Too Late, which features on the soundtrack of the 2024 Sir Elton documentary of the same name.

Meanwhile, actor Timothée Chalamet got his first Grammy nod in the best compilation soundtrack for visual media category for his work on Oscar-nominated movie A Complete Unknown, in which he played Bob Dylan.

Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Pic: Searchlight Pictures 2024
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Timothee Chalamet as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Pic: Searchlight Pictures 2024

Nominations were announced by past Grammy winners, including Sabrina Carpenter, Doechii and last year’s best new artist winner, Chappell Roan.

Sharon, Kelly and Jack Osbourne came together to announce the rock and metal album nominations in tribute to Ozzy, who died in July. He had previously won in both categories.

The Osbournes announced the best rock and metal album nominations. Pic: Grammys/Recording Academy
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The Osbournes announced the best rock and metal album nominations. Pic: Grammys/Recording Academy

The annual ceremony – which gives out a whopping 95 gongs in total – has four big categories: album, record and song of the year, and best new artist.

Following Beyoncé’s historic win for best album and best country album for Cowboy Carter, this year the country category has been divided into two: best traditional country album and best contemporary country album.

There’s also the new addition of a standalone category for best album cover.

Last year, Beyoncé made history as the Grammy’s most nominated artist, winning album of the year for the first time.

Winners will be chosen by the roughly 15,000 voting members of the Recording Academy.

The 68th Grammy Awards take place on Sunday, 1 February 2026, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Main category nominees

Album Of The Year
DeBi TiRAR MaS FOtoS, Bad Bunny
Swag, Justin Bieber
Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse, Pusha T and Malice
MAYHEM, Lady Gaga
GNX, Kendrick Lamar
Mutt, Leon Thomas
CHROMAKOPIA, Tyler, The Creator

Record Of The Year
DtMF, Bad Bunny
Manchild, Sabrina Carpenter
Anxiety, Doechii
Wildflower, Billie Eilish
Abracadabra, Lady Gaga
luther, Kendrick Lamar with SZA
The Subway, Chappell Roan
APT, Bruno Mars and Rosé

Song Of The Year
Abracadabra, Lady Gaga
Anxiety, Doechii
APT, Bruno Mars and Rosé
DtMF, Bad Bunny
Golden, EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI
luther, Kendrick Lamar with SZA
Manchild, Sabrina Carpenter
Wildflower, Billie Eilish

Best New Artist
Olivia Dean
KATSEYE
The Marias
Addison Rae
sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren
Lola Young

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