Jay-Z has sued the woman who accused him of raping her, in a now-withdrawn complaint.

Sky News’ US partner NBC News reported the 55-year-old music mogul had launched a defamation lawsuit against the woman.

The American rapper reportedly said the woman and the lawyers representing her “were soullessly motivated by greed, in abject disregard of the truth” and alleged that they caused harm to his personal and professional reputation.

Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter, is reported to have filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Alabama, where the woman, referred to in the lawsuit only as “Jane Doe”, lives.

The initial allegation made by the woman centred on Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.

It was withdrawn with prejudice last month – meaning it cannot be brought back to court.

At the time the lawsuit was withdrawn, Jay-Z said: “Today is a victory. These frivolous, fictitious and appalling allegations have been dismissed.

“The fictional tale they created was laughable, if not for the seriousness of the claims. I would not wish this experience on anyone.”

In her lawsuit, in New York, the woman originally accused Carter and Combs of raping her at an after party following the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards.

His lawsuit cited inconsistencies in the woman’s account that were reported by NBC News.

This reportedly included claiming her father had picked her up for a ride home, but him saying he didn’t recall making the drive – of more than five hours – at the time.

She also claimed to speak to musician Benji Madden at the party, but a representative for Madden said that neither Benji nor his brother Joel attended the 2000 VMAs and that they were on tour in the Midwest at the time, NBC News added.

Jay-Z is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages.

However, in a separate legal filing Monday, the woman said she was sticking with her story, NBC News reported.

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Combs is currently in prison awaiting a scheduled 5 May criminal trial on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.

He still faces dozens of other civil lawsuits by women and men who have accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct.

Combs has pleaded not guilty in the criminal case and has maintained his innocence in all the cases.

The BBC has called the ongoing controversy over a documentary on Gaza a “really, really bad moment”, admitting the film’s failings are “a dagger to the heart” of the corporation’s impartiality.

Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was pulled from iPlayer and will not be broadcast on channels again after it emerged that the child narrator is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.

Last week, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called an “urgent meeting” with the corporation over the film.

BBC director-general Tim Davie and BBC chairman Samir Shah were questioned by MPs during a Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee meeting on Tuesday.

Mr Shah told committee members: “This is a really, really bad moment. It’s is a dagger to the heart of the BBC claim to be impartial and to be trustworthy.”

He said questions over “what went wrong” were asked “on day one” following the programme’s transmission.

He went on: “To my shock, I think that we found that there were serious failings on both sides, on the independent production side as well, as well as on the BBC side.”

Mr Shah said an interim report commissioned by the BBC found “it wasn’t so much the processes were at fault as people weren’t doing their job”.

Mr Shah said he believed the problem was confined to this programme, adding: “On this story we’re examining the how and why, the compliance that determines did not take place.”

However, he also said he thought an independent review into how the BBC covers stories in the Middle East should also be carried out independently.

Tim Davie said there was “a lot of frustration and disappointment” over the film, adding: “We’re very sorry to the audience.”

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‘We were not told’

How To Survive A Warzone was made on commission by independent production company Hoyo Films, and features 13-year-old Abdullah al Yazouri, who speaks about life in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas.

Mr Davie said there were specific questions asked around Abdullah’s father, and the BBC “found out that we were not told”.

He went on: “At that point, quite quickly, I lost trust in that film. Therefore, I took the decision quite quickly to take it off iPlayer while we do this deep dive.”

Mr Davie said removing the film from iPlayer had been “a very tough decision”.

Discussing whether or not the family involved in the film had been paid for their work, he said: “As I understand it today, the BBC has only made one payment. This was for a licence fee, to the programme maker.”

He said an initial assessment of the economics had showed “that there was a small payment to the sister… It’s totally normal payment because the boy recorded the narration. He went to a studio to do it.”

Describing the fallout as “damaging”, Mr Davie said he believes “overall trust in BBC news remains very high”.

He went on: “We’re not losing all context here. This was a serious failing. But we have trust numbers that we’re very proud of, we’re the most trusted brand in the world. And part of what we do to earn that trust… is actually be highly transparent and go through enormous processes when we fail like this to show how we’re going to fix it.”

Mr Davie says he has “fast-tracked” the review “out of the news department”, where it will be overseen by Peter Johnson, BBC Director, Editorial Complaints and Reviews.

Media watchdog Ofcom sent a letter to the BBC flagging their “ongoing concerns” about the “nature and gravity” of the documentary on Monday, which Mr Shah said he “welcomed”.

The Metropolitan Police said: “Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command are currently assessing whether any police action is required” in relation to the documentary.

Complaints from both sides

Hoyo Films said in a statement: “We are co-operating fully with the BBC and Peter Johnston (director of editorial complaints and reviews) to help understand where mistakes have been made.

“We feel this remains an important story to tell, and that our contributors – who have no say in the war – should have their voices heard.”

Last week, protesters gathered outside Broadcasting House in London claiming the BBC had aired Hamas propaganda.

The BBC also faced criticism in pulling the documentary, with Gary Lineker, Anita Rani, Riz Ahmed and Miriam Margoyles among more than 500 media figures who had condemned the action.

In an open letter addressed to Mr Davie, Dr Shah and outgoing chief content officer Charlotte Moore, hundreds of TV and film professionals and journalists called the decision to remove the documentary “politically motivated censorship”.

Following the committee session, Artists for Palestine UK, the group that published the letter, accused Mr Davie and Mr Shah of “throwing Palestinian children under the bus”, questioning how the corporation would safeguard the young people who appeared in the documentary.

In a statement, the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism accused the BBC of “marking its own homework”, adding: “No other broadcaster would be permitted this latitude, and no other regulated industry would allow this.”

They also called for the licence fee to be suspended pending an independent investigation into the documentary.

Nominations for the Olivier Awards, British theatre’s most prestigious honours, have been announced.

Following his second Oscar win at the weekend, Adrien Brody is nominated for best actor, for his performance in The Fear Of 13 – a play based on the real-life story of a man who spent 22 years on death row for a rape and murder that he did not commit.

Fellow US stars Billy Crudup and John Lithgow are up against him in the category, along with UK stars Paapa Essiedu and Mark Strong.

Brody, Crudup, Essiedu and Lithgow are all first-time nominees.

In the best actress category, The Crown star Lesley Manville is up against Meera Syal, Indira Varma, Heather Agyepong and Rosie Sheehy.

Manville and Varma both nominated for playing the same role in different productions of the Greek mythology classic Oedipus

Fiddler On The Roof is this year’s most nominated production, with 13 nods.

It’s up for best musical revival, with old favourites including Oliver!, Hello Dolly and Starlight Express.

In the musical theatre performing categories, John Dagleish is up for best actor for his role in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, a decade after his last win.

He’s up against Myles Frost, Simon Lipkin, Jamie Muscato and Adam Dannheisser.

Four-time Olivier winner Imelda Staunton is up for best actress in a musical for her role in Hello Dolly!, her 14th Olivier nomination and her eighth in the category.

She’s competing against Lara Pulver, Chumisa Dornford-May, Lauren Drew and Clare Foster.

Best new play includes Brody’s The Fear Of 13, along with Kyoto, Shifters, Giant and The Years.

Giant and The Years are tied for most nominated play this year with five apiece.

Gina McKee is nominated for best actress in a supporting role, alongside Romola Garai who is double nominated in the same category for her roles in Giant and The Years.

Actress Sharon D Clarke makes up the category.

And in best supporting actor, Ben Whishaw will be battling it out against Jorge Bosch, Tom Edden, and Elliot Levey.

Sunset Boulevard was the big winner at last year’s Olivier Awards, taking home seven gongs and equalling the record for the most prizes for a musical at the ceremony.

The 2025 Olivier Awards will take place on Sunday 6 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter.

Full list of nominations:

Mastercard Best New Musical

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, music & lyrics by Darren Clark, book & lyrics by Jethro Compton at Ambassadors Theatre

MJ The Musical, book by Lynn Nottage at Prince Edward Theatre

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, music, lyrics & book by Dave Malloy at Donmar Warehouse

Why Am I So Single?, music, lyrics & book by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss at Garrick Theatre

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Jon Bausor for Set Design, Toby Olié & Daisy Beattie for Puppetry Design and Satoshi Kuriyama for Projection Design for Spirited Away at London Coliseum

Frankie Bradshaw for Set Design for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier

Es Devlin for Set Design for Coriolanus at National Theatre – Olivier

Tom Scutt for Set Design for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Paule Constable & Ben Jacobs for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre

Howard Hudson for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse

Howard Hudson for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Duke Bluebeard’s Castle by English National Opera at London Coliseum

Festen by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

L’Olimpiade by Irish National Opera & The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

The Tales Of Hoffmann by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Aigul Akhmetshina for her performance in Carmen at Royal Opera House

Allan Clayton for his performance in Festen at Royal Opera House

Jung Young-doo for his direction of Lear at Barbican Theatre

Best Family Show

Brainiac Live at Marylebone Theatre

Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas at Apollo Theatre

The Nutcracker at Polka Theatre

Rough Magic at Shakespeare’s Globe – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre

Animal Farm at Theatre Royal Stratford East by George Orwell, adapted by Tatty Hennessy

Boys On The Verge Of Tears by Sam Grabiner at Soho Theatre

English by Sanaz Toossi at Kiln Theatre

Now, I See by Lanre Malaolu at Theatre Royal Stratford East

What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander at Marylebone Theatre

Best New Dance Production

Assembly Hall by Kidd Pivot, Crystal Pite & Jonathon Young at Sadler’s Wells

Frontiers: Choreographers Of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner by The National Ballet Of Canada at Sadler’s Wells

Theatre Of Dreams by Hofesh Shechter Company at Sadler’s Wells

An Untitled Love by A.I.M by Kyle Abraham at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Sarah Chun for her performance in Three Short Ballets at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Tom Visser for his lighting design of Angels’ Atlas as part of Frontiers: Choreographers Of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner at Sadler’s Wells

Eva Yerbabuena for her performance in Yerbagüena at Sadler’s Wells

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Jorge Bosch for Kyoto at @sohoplace

Tom Edden for Waiting For Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Elliot Levey for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Ben Whishaw for Bluets at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Sharon D Clarke for The Importance Of Being Earnest at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Romola Garai for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Romola Garai for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre

Gina McKee for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Matthew Bourne for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre

Julia Cheng for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Hofesh Shechter for Oedipus at The Old Vic

Christopher Wheeldon for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre

Best Costume Design

Hugh Durrant for Robin Hood at The London Palladium

Sachiko Nakahara for Spirited Away at London Coliseum

Tom Scutt for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Christopher Shutt for Oedipus at The Old Vic

Thijs van Vuure for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre

Koichi Yamamoto for Spirited Away at London Coliseum

Outstanding Musical Contribution

Mark Aspinall for Musical Supervision & Additional Orchestrations for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre

Dave Malloy for Orchestrations and Nicholas Skilbeck for Musical Supervision for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse

Asaf Zohar for Compositions and Gavin Sutherland for Dance Arrangements & Orchestration for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Liv Andrusier for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada at Dominion Theatre

Beverley Klein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Andy Nyman for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium

Raphael Papo for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Layton Williams for Titanique at Criterion Theatre

Tom Xander for Mean Girls at Savoy Theatre

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

Ballet Shoes adapted by Kendall Feaver at National Theatre – Olivier

Inside No 9 Stage/Fright by Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith at Wyndham’s Theatre

Spirited Away adapted by John Caird & co-adapted by Maoko Imai at London Coliseum

Titanique by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle & Constantine Rousouli at Criterion Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Eline Arbo for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre

Jordan Fein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Nicholas Hytner for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Robert Icke for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre

Best Actress

Heather Agyepong for Shifters at Duke of York’s Theatre

Lesley Manville for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre

Rosie Sheehy for Machinal at The Old Vic

Meera Syal for A Tupperware Of Ashes at National Theatre – Dorfman

Indira Varma for Oedipus at The Old Vic

Best Actor

Adrien Brody for The Fear Of 13 at Donmar Warehouse

Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre

Paapa Essiedu for Death Of England: Delroy at @sohoplace

John Lithgow for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Mark Strong for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre

Cunard Best Revival

The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Machinal by Sophie Treadwell at The Old Vic

Oedipus by Robert Icke at Wyndham’s Theatre

Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Piper-Heidsieck Award for Best Musical Revival

Fiddler On The Roof, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Hello, Dolly!, music & lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart at The London Palladium

Oliver!, book, music & lyrics by Lionel Bart, new material & revisions by Cameron Mackintosh at Gielgud Theatre

Starlight Express, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical

John Dagleish for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre

Adam Dannheisser for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Myles Frost for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre

Simon Lipkin for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre

Jamie Muscato for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse

Best Actress in a Musical

Chumisa Dornford-May for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse

Lauren Drew for Titanique at Criterion Theatre

Clare Foster for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre

Lara Pulver for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium

The Londoner Award for Best New Play

The Fear Of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino at Donmar Warehouse

Giant by Mark Rosenblatt at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Kyoto by Joe Murphy & Joe Robertson at @sohoplace

Shifters by Benedict Lombe at Duke of York’s Theatre

The Years adapted by Eline Arbo, in an English version by Stephanie Bain at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre