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Kevin Hart says there’s absolutely no chance he will ever host the Oscars, labelling award show gigs as “very cold” and not “comedy friendly environments”.

The 44-year-old comedian and actor stepped down from hosting the 2019 Oscars after a series of old tweets emerged in which he’d used homophobic slurs.

Chat show host Ellen DeGeneres later campaigned for him to return to the role, without success.

Hart, who is currently starring in Netflix heist movie Lift, told Sky News: “Those gigs aren’t good gigs for comics. It’s no shot to the Oscars, no shot to the Globes or anything else. Those just aren’t comedy friendly environments anymore.

Kevin Hart in his latest action role, in movie Lift. Pic: Stefano Cristiano Montesi/Netflix
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Kevin Hart in his latest action role, in Netflix movie Lift. Pic: Stefano Cristiano Montesi

“I think they got it right one year where it was like just a bunch of personalities acting as the hosts and that’s a nice thing. It’s a collaborative thing, different people get to be responsible for act one, act two, act three, but you know, the days of it being a room for a comic, those days are done.”

No stranger to awards ceremonies, Hart has previously hosted the Bet Awards, the MTV Video Music awards and the MTV Movie Awards.

He went on to praise those who have pulled off fronting big shows: “Shout out to those that have cracked the code and done it right early on, you know, the Chris Rock‘s of the world, the Billy Crystal’s of the world, the girls we’ve had like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler. Ricky Gervais.

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“There’s a lot of people that understand that if you’re not an industry comic, meaning a comic that has the relationships of all [the guests], then those rooms are very cold. So, me doing it is, of course, at an advantage, because I know the room and for me, and familiar with so many. But, for others it’s not the same.”

He recently defended Golden Globes host Jo Koy after some of the comedian’s jokes fell flat at the ceremony earlier this week.

Hart goes on: “It’s not the gig that it was of old. It’s too much pressure on the idea of a comic and what’s jokes and not jokes. So, it’s tough.”

Pic: Netflix
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Pic: Netflix

Hart – who rose to fame as a comic in the 2000s, later achieving acting success in Hollywood in blockbusters including Ride Along, Scary Movie and the Jumanji franchise – is modest about his venture into action movies.

His latest film Lift, which has plenty of fight scenes and James Bond-style chases, sees him play criminal mastermind Cyrus Whitaker who is racing to lift $500m (£393m) in gold from a passenger plane mid-flight, to save the world from the evils of a plotting terrorist network.

Hart jokes: “I’ve been acting in guest houses up till now, but I’m home now. Me, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis – just a bunch of guys I relate to.

“When it comes clanking and banging, you know, doing things that others can’t do.”

Lift is streaming on Netflix now.

The 96th Academy Awards take place on Sunday 10 March in Los Angeles, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

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Jimmy Kimmel’s show pulled over comments about Charlie Kirk

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Jimmy Kimmel's show pulled over comments about Charlie Kirk

US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has had his programme pulled over “offensive and insensitive” comments about Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel used his show on Monday night to accuse Donald Trump and his allies of “doing their best to fan the flames” following the conservative influencer’s assassination last week.

Disney-owned ABC said it would be taken off-air indefinitely – and with immediate effect – after network operator Nexstar said it would stop broadcasting the programme.

Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division, said it “strongly objects” to Kimmel’s comments.

“Mr Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse,” he said, with the show to go off-air to “let cooler heads prevail”.

What happened?

Kimmel called out what he believes is hypocrisy in how Republicans have responded to Mr Kirk’s death.

Mr Trump and Vice President JD Vance are among those to cite “left-wing extremism” as a factor in the killing.

Suspected gunman Tyler Robinson appeared in court for the first time on Tuesday night. Prosecutors said he had shared negative views about Kirk, an influential media figure in the MAGA movement.

Read more from Sky News:
Trump enjoys lavish state banquet
Robert Redford’s grandchildren pay tribute

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The killing of Charlie Kirk

On the Monday edition of his show, Kimmel drew attention to Capitol rioters who “wanted to hang” Mr Trump’s first term vice president, Mike Pence, for certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 election win.

“Was that the liberal left? Or the toothless army who stormed the Capitol on January 6,” said Kimmel.

His remarks saw the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Trump backer Brendan Carr, threaten to “take action” against Disney and ABC.

Mr Trump himself had previously welcomed the prospect of Kimmel’s show being cancelled, describing him on his Truth Social platform as someone with “absolutely NO TALENT”.

A representative for Kimmel did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kimmel follows in Colbert’s footsteps

The abrupt removal of Jimmy Kimmel Live comes after fellow late night host Stephen Colbert saw his programme cancelled, which fans claimed was a result of his criticism of Mr Trump.

Mr Trump presents himself as a staunch advocate of free speech, but regularly rails against media organisations which criticise him. This week he launched a lawsuit against The New York Times.

CBS announced in July it would end The Late Show when its current series ends next May.

In a statement, the network said the move was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.”

Mr Trump praised the move, saying “his talent was even worse than his ratings”.

Colbert’s Late Show won an Emmy for outstanding talk series for the first time at the weekend.

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Robert Redford’s grandchildren pay tribute to Hollywood icon as they share family photos

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Robert Redford's grandchildren pay tribute to Hollywood icon as they share family photos

Robert Redford’s grandchildren have paid tribute to the Hollywood icon with a series of never-before-seen family photos.

Redford died on Tuesday at the age of 89 in the mountains of Utah “surrounded by those he loved”, according to his representative Cindi Berger.

Now Conor Schlosser, the 33-year-old son of Redford’s eldest daughter Shauna Redford, 64, has posted five photos on Instagram with the movie star, including three throwback pictures from his childhood of the pair together.

In them, they are riding a horse, opening a present and playing golf.

Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram
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Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram

Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram
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Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram

Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram
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Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram

Mr Schlosser, 33, also shared two more recent pictures with Redford, including one of them enjoying a meal and the other of him with his arm around his grandfather.

In a caption that accompanied the social media post, he wrote: “He was larger than life to the world, but to his family, he was simply that … family. “Rest in peace, Grandpa.🐎”.”

He added: “If anyone has a favorite story of him you’d like to share, please send it to me in a private message – I’d love to collect them.”

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Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram

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Pic: conorschlosser/Instagram

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Redford’s career in pictures

His cousin, Lena Hart Redford, the 29-year-old daughter of Redford’s late son, James Redford, also posted a number of pictures with the Hollywood star on Instagram.

Pic: lilredford/Instagram
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Pic: lilredford/Instagram

Pic: lilredford/Instagram
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Pic: lilredford/Instagram


There were photos of her on a horse with her grandfather and also with him on a film set. She also included a photo of her late father with Redford in the post, which she captioned with a red heart emoji.

Pic: lilredford/Instagram
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Pic: lilredford/Instagram

Pic: lilredford/Instagram
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Pic: lilredford/Instagram

Pic: lilredford/Instagram
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Pic: lilredford/Instagram

And in a tribute on Instagram Stories, she shared a throwback image of her and Redford wearing Kangol-brand beanies. “Taught me so much. … Had us all in Kangol,” she wrote.

She also posted a picture of Redford and her father horseback riding. “Dad & grandpa, I feel like they are riding awesome horses in heaven,” she wrote.

Lena Redford’s brother, Dylan Redford, shared a picture with his grandfather on his Instagram Stories.

He wrote: “He was best grampa a grandson could ask for. He also made amazing things, helped others make amazing things, and tried to make the world a better place.”

Pic: dredford_/Instagram/AP
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Pic: dredford_/Instagram/AP

Redford fathered four children with his first wife Lola Van Wagenen – sons Scott and James and daughters Shauna and Amy.

Scott died in 1959 from sudden infant death syndrome aged only two months, while his younger son James died aged 58 of cancer in 2020.

Redford is survived by his wife Sibylle Szaggars Redford, daughters Shauna and Amy and seven grandchildren.

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Bob Geldof reveals why he won’t run for Irish presidency

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Bob Geldof reveals why he won't run for Irish presidency

Bob Geldof has confirmed he will not be running for the Irish presidency – and says it’s partly because he’d “miss London”.

Speaking to Sky News at the Sky Arts Awards on Tuesday night, the 73-year-old musician and aid campaigner said: “My kids are here, my missus is here, my homes are here.

“I’d miss London. The band is here, I wouldn’t be able to play.”

In Ireland, any Irish citizen over 35 can run for president – but to get on the ballot, a candidate must be nominated by 20 members of parliament or four local authorities.

Geldof said: “I simply wouldn’t have had time.”

He said he had considered it, thinking it could be something “new, interesting and useful”, 50 years after finding fame in The Boomtown Rats, and 40 years after launching Band Aid.

Geldof said he’d briefly spoken to Prime Minister Micheal Martin, asking him: “‘What would you think about Bob Geldof being the candidate for the Fianna Fail Party?’ He said, ‘I think it’d be great, but I’ve already chosen someone’.

“I said, ‘That’s the end of the conversation Taoiseach, thanks very much,’ and that was it.”

Former football manager Jim Gavin was later announced as Fianna Fail’s official candidate.

Geldof performs during Live Aid at Wembley in July 1985. Pic: AP
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Geldof performs during Live Aid at Wembley in July 1985. Pic: AP

Conor McGregor pulls out

Geldof admitted he was relieved former mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor was no longer in the running.

McGregor, who had promised to curb immigration in order to protect “Irish culture” and to give power “back to the people,” announced he was withdrawing from the race earlier this week.

Ex-Riverdance performer Michael Flatley, 67, has also expressed an interest in running for office.

This year’s ballot deadline is midday on 24 September, a month ahead of the election on 24 October. A largely ceremonial role, representing Ireland at home and abroad, it runs for a seven-year term.

Conor McGregor met Donald Trump at the White House on St Patrick's Day. Pic: X/@WhiteHouse
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Conor McGregor met Donald Trump at the White House on St Patrick’s Day. Pic: X/@WhiteHouse

‘Please stop,’ Geldof tells Israel

Geldof, who has Jewish heritage and is the Founding Patron of the British Holocaust Museums Aegis Trust for Genocide Studies, also spoke passionately about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Following a UN Commission report which found Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, Geldof said: “When you purposefully starve children as an instrument of war then you are a war criminal.”

He went on: “People simply don’t have the bandwidth to deal with the cost of living, the flag waving, the horror of Ukraine, the horrors of Gaza. They’re just tired, and they just want Israel to please stop it. And the UN has just confirmed that. Stop.”

The accusation of genocide has been made by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Israel’s foreign ministry said it “categorically rejects this distorted and false report” and called for the commission to be abolished.

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Is Israel committing genocide?

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Spain votes to boycott Eurovision if Israel competes

Geldof was speaking at the prestigious Sky Arts event, where he was recognised for his influence as a musician and cultural figure over the last five decades with a lifetime achievement award.

Never afraid to be outspoken, he was one of the defining voices of the 1970s punk era before going on to co-create Band Aid and the historic Live Aid concerts, reshaping the relationship between music and global activism.

Geldof performed with his band, The Boomtown Rats, during the ceremony which took place at London’s Roundhouse, hosted by comedian Bill Bailey.

See all the Sky Arts Awards winners here.

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