Cilla Black was laid to rest at St. Mary's Church in Woolton, Liverpool this afternoon (20.08.15). The showbiz legend - who sadly passed away at her holiday home in Spain earlier this month - was remembered by friends and family with a Requiem Mass at the church where she married her late husband Bobby Willis in 1969. Cilla and Bobby's eldest son Robert was one of a number of those close to her to pay touching tributes to the late 'Blind Date' host and he spoke of his joy at knowing his parents had been reunited in heaven. He said: ''They were...
- 8/20/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
Jimmy Tarbuck will mention Cilla Black's late husband and daughter at her funeral today (20.08.15). The 75-year-old comedian - who had been friends with the showbiz legend for over 50 years before her tragic death earlier this month - will read Prayers of the Faithful which will reference Cilla's husband Bobby Willis and their baby girl Ellen. Bobby died from lung cancer in 1999 while their daughter sadly passed away in 1975 after being born prematurely and suffering lung complications, living for only two hours. According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, Jimmy will say: ''She may now be admitted to the company of...
- 8/20/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
Jimmy Tarbuck believes Cilla Black and her husband Bobby Willis are in ''eternal peace''. The 75-year-old comedian - who had been close friends with the late singer and TV presenter for over five decades before her tragic death earlier this month - paid tribute to her as he arrived at her funeral in Liverpool this afternoon (20.08.15). Asked what he thought Cilla would be saying to her late husband in heaven, Jimmy said: ''She's saying, 'Oh hey Bobby' ... He will be getting a rollicking, and they will be together with the little girl they lost. They will be in eternal peace.'' Cilla...
- 8/19/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
Jimmy Tarbuck will mention Cilla Black's late husband and daughter at her funeral today (20.08.15). The 75-year-old comedian - who had been friends with the showbiz legend for over 50 years before her tragic death earlier this month - will read Prayers of the Faithful which will reference Cilla's husband Bobby Willis and their baby girl Ellen. Bobby died from lung cancer in 1999 while their daughter sadly passed away in 1975 after being born prematurely and suffering lung complications, living for only two hours. According to the Daily Mirror newspaper, Jimmy will say: ''She may now be admitted to the company of...
- 8/18/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
Paul O'Grady is ''completely stunned'' at the death of his good friend Cilla Black. Cilla, 72, passed away on Saturday night (01.08.15) at her Spanish home in Estepona, Costa del Sol, from ''natural causes'' and Paul, 60, admitted it is ''like the fun has gone''. He added to the Daily Mirror newspaper in an emotional tribute: ''The lights are turned down now. That's it. God I'm going to miss Cilla. It doesn't seem real. I'm completely stunned.'' Cilla and Paul became close after meeting on chat show 'Parkinson' in 1998 and he helped her through the death of her husband Bobby Willis...
- 8/3/2015
- Virgin Media - TV
Cilla Black has died at her Spanish home at the age of 72.
Spanish police in Marbella confirmed the much-loved singer, TV presenter and entertainer's passing to The Telegraph.
Cilla Black: 12 of her best songs
"I can confirm the death of British national Priscilla White, aged 72," said a police spokesperson.
"We are still awaiting autopsy results, but everything at this stage is pointing towards her death being the result of natural causes."
"It is with deep sorrow that I confirm today the passing of singer & TV personality Cilla Black," added the entertainer's agent.
"Details of her death will be announced following the coroner's report. Her family have asked for their privacy to be respected at this time."
Stars across the entertainment industry - from Joan Collins to Holly Willoughby - were quick to unite with leading politicians in heartfelt tribute to the showbiz icon on Sunday afternoon.
Collins hailed Black's...
Spanish police in Marbella confirmed the much-loved singer, TV presenter and entertainer's passing to The Telegraph.
Cilla Black: 12 of her best songs
"I can confirm the death of British national Priscilla White, aged 72," said a police spokesperson.
"We are still awaiting autopsy results, but everything at this stage is pointing towards her death being the result of natural causes."
"It is with deep sorrow that I confirm today the passing of singer & TV personality Cilla Black," added the entertainer's agent.
"Details of her death will be announced following the coroner's report. Her family have asked for their privacy to be respected at this time."
Stars across the entertainment industry - from Joan Collins to Holly Willoughby - were quick to unite with leading politicians in heartfelt tribute to the showbiz icon on Sunday afternoon.
Collins hailed Black's...
- 8/2/2015
- Digital Spy
ITV has released a new teaser trailer for the final episode of Cilla.
Chronicling the life of Cilla Black, the three-part drama series comes to an end at 9pm on Monday, September 29 on ITV.
Sheridan Smith as Cilla: What was the critics and Twitter verdict?
After enjoying chart success in the UK, the third episode examines the strain it puts on her relationship with Bobby Willis.
It also looks at her failure to crack the American market, and the unravelling of Brian Epstein's private life, all of which threatens to derail her success.
The series has been written by Jeff Pope (Pierrepoint, The Fattest Man in Britain, See No Evil: The Moors Murders).
Sheridan Smith stars as Cilla Black, Aneurin Barnard is Bobby Willis, and Ed Stoppard plays Brian Epstein.
Watch Digital Spy's interview with Sheridan Smith about starring in Cilla below:...
Chronicling the life of Cilla Black, the three-part drama series comes to an end at 9pm on Monday, September 29 on ITV.
Sheridan Smith as Cilla: What was the critics and Twitter verdict?
After enjoying chart success in the UK, the third episode examines the strain it puts on her relationship with Bobby Willis.
It also looks at her failure to crack the American market, and the unravelling of Brian Epstein's private life, all of which threatens to derail her success.
The series has been written by Jeff Pope (Pierrepoint, The Fattest Man in Britain, See No Evil: The Moors Murders).
Sheridan Smith stars as Cilla Black, Aneurin Barnard is Bobby Willis, and Ed Stoppard plays Brian Epstein.
Watch Digital Spy's interview with Sheridan Smith about starring in Cilla below:...
- 9/23/2014
- Digital Spy
Watch Digital Spy's interview with Sheridan Smith about Cilla
ITV's Cilla Black biopic, which starred Sheridan Smith in the title role, launched with bumper ratings last night. Cilla attracted the channel's biggest drama audience launch since a little old show called Broadchurch and it has also won rave reviews.
Smith has been singled out in particular for her incredible performance as the Liverpudlian popstar in the swinging '60s and the only criticism that some viewers seemed to have was that she was too good a singer when she performed as Cilla. High praise indeed. Here is a roundup of the critics and Twitter verdicts:
The Critics:
The Telegraph
"Smith sang her heart out, catching perfectly the bluesy belter within the girl next door, but rather than rushing her to fame, the action unfolded slowly enough to show her falling at the first hurdle as she became crippled with nerves singing for Brian Epstein.
ITV's Cilla Black biopic, which starred Sheridan Smith in the title role, launched with bumper ratings last night. Cilla attracted the channel's biggest drama audience launch since a little old show called Broadchurch and it has also won rave reviews.
Smith has been singled out in particular for her incredible performance as the Liverpudlian popstar in the swinging '60s and the only criticism that some viewers seemed to have was that she was too good a singer when she performed as Cilla. High praise indeed. Here is a roundup of the critics and Twitter verdicts:
The Critics:
The Telegraph
"Smith sang her heart out, catching perfectly the bluesy belter within the girl next door, but rather than rushing her to fame, the action unfolded slowly enough to show her falling at the first hurdle as she became crippled with nerves singing for Brian Epstein.
- 9/16/2014
- Digital Spy
Singer, presenter, matchmaker extraordinaire and probably the most Liverpudlian person alive - Cilla Black is a woman of many titles.
She burst onto the '60s music scene with her number one single 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', and quickly became established as a national treasure. The BBC snapped her up to present her own variety show, Cilla, and in the '80s she began presenting ITV's tongue-in-cheek Blind Date - which she continued to host for nearly 20 years.
Earlier this year she received a special BAFTA for her contribution to television, and is now the subject of a three-part ITV biopic starring Sheridan Smith, starting tonight.
In celebration of this, we've dug up ten things you may not know about the British showbiz icon.
1. Priscilla Maria Veronica White was born on May 27, 1943 in Liverpool. Desperate to became a star, she got her first gig playing at the city's Casanova Club,...
She burst onto the '60s music scene with her number one single 'Anyone Who Had A Heart', and quickly became established as a national treasure. The BBC snapped her up to present her own variety show, Cilla, and in the '80s she began presenting ITV's tongue-in-cheek Blind Date - which she continued to host for nearly 20 years.
Earlier this year she received a special BAFTA for her contribution to television, and is now the subject of a three-part ITV biopic starring Sheridan Smith, starting tonight.
In celebration of this, we've dug up ten things you may not know about the British showbiz icon.
1. Priscilla Maria Veronica White was born on May 27, 1943 in Liverpool. Desperate to became a star, she got her first gig playing at the city's Casanova Club,...
- 9/15/2014
- Digital Spy
Get Hard
Alison Brie ("Community") is set to join Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart in Etan Cohen's comedy "Get Hard" at Warner Bros. Pictures. Brie will play the fiancee of Ferrell’s character.
]Ferrell plays a wealthy investment banker wrongly convicted of a crime, who toughens up for prison with the help of the guy who washes his car (Hart). [Source: Deadline]
Masters of Sex
Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt has joined the second season of Showtime's "Masters of Sex". Brandt will recur and play Barbara, new secretary to Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) who replaces Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald).
Brandt joins Keke Palmer who has also scored a recurring role on the second season of 'Masters'. [Source: The Live Feed]
Scouts vs. Zombies
Logan Miller ("The Bling Ring") has joined Christopher Landon's upcoming horror comedy "Scouts vs. Zombies" for Paramount Pictures. Filming begins in May.
Miller plays Carter, a class clown who yearns to get out of the scouts.
Alison Brie ("Community") is set to join Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart in Etan Cohen's comedy "Get Hard" at Warner Bros. Pictures. Brie will play the fiancee of Ferrell’s character.
]Ferrell plays a wealthy investment banker wrongly convicted of a crime, who toughens up for prison with the help of the guy who washes his car (Hart). [Source: Deadline]
Masters of Sex
Breaking Bad's Betsy Brandt has joined the second season of Showtime's "Masters of Sex". Brandt will recur and play Barbara, new secretary to Dr. William Masters (Michael Sheen) who replaces Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald).
Brandt joins Keke Palmer who has also scored a recurring role on the second season of 'Masters'. [Source: The Live Feed]
Scouts vs. Zombies
Logan Miller ("The Bling Ring") has joined Christopher Landon's upcoming horror comedy "Scouts vs. Zombies" for Paramount Pictures. Filming begins in May.
Miller plays Carter, a class clown who yearns to get out of the scouts.
- 3/18/2014
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Aneurin Barnard will star in 'Cilla' with Sheridan Smith. 'The White Queen' actor will play Cilla Black's husband Bobby Willis in the new three-part period drama which will chart the rise to fame of the legendary British entertainer in the 1960s. Ed Stoppard, best known for his role in 'The Politician's Husband', has been hired to play iconic music manager Brian Epstein, who discovered Cilla and also managed The Beatles. John Henshaw ('Downton Abbey') will play Cilla's father John White, while Melanie Hill is set to star as the singer's mother, Priscilla, also known by her friends and family as Big Cilla. The drama,...
- 3/17/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
ITV has announced casting details for its upcoming Cilla Black drama.
The White Queen star Aneurin Barnard will feature as Cilla's husband Bobby in the three-part series, opposite Sheridan Smith in the title role.
Ed Stoppard (The Politician's Husband) will star as Brian Epstein, while John Henshaw (Downton Abbey) will play Cilla's father John White.
Melanie Hill (Waterloo Road) rounds out the cast as Cilla's mother Priscilla.
Cilla - from Philomena writer Jeff Pope - will focus on the singer-turned-presenter's rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool.
The drama follows the unknown Priscilla White as she pursues her dreams of stardom, begins a relationship with future husband Bobby Willis, and meets legendary music manager Brian Epstein.
It will also feature Black's friendship with The Beatles, and how their success helped launch her career.
Cilla begins filming in March and April in Liverpool, and will feature many of the...
The White Queen star Aneurin Barnard will feature as Cilla's husband Bobby in the three-part series, opposite Sheridan Smith in the title role.
Ed Stoppard (The Politician's Husband) will star as Brian Epstein, while John Henshaw (Downton Abbey) will play Cilla's father John White.
Melanie Hill (Waterloo Road) rounds out the cast as Cilla's mother Priscilla.
Cilla - from Philomena writer Jeff Pope - will focus on the singer-turned-presenter's rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool.
The drama follows the unknown Priscilla White as she pursues her dreams of stardom, begins a relationship with future husband Bobby Willis, and meets legendary music manager Brian Epstein.
It will also feature Black's friendship with The Beatles, and how their success helped launch her career.
Cilla begins filming in March and April in Liverpool, and will feature many of the...
- 3/17/2014
- Digital Spy
Exclusive: Cilla, a biographical drama from ITV penned by BAFTA-winning and Oscar-nominated Philomena co-scribe Jeff Pope, has added up-and-comer Aneurin Barnard to star opposite Sheridan Smith who is playing the eponymous “Liverpudlian Songbird.” She may be relatively unfamiliar to U.S. audiences, but Cilla Black (née Priscilla Maria Veronica White) is a fixture in the UK, perhaps more so now for her TV hosting gigs, but she was also part of the 1960s Beatles era. The three-part bio-mini from ITV Studios tells the story of her rocky rise to fame. The Liverpool-born star started out working in the typist pool at a local company and ultimately met the two men who came to love her and fight over her: future husband Bobby Willis (Barnard) and original Beatles manager Brian Epstein. The drama explores Cilla’s burgeoning friendship with John, Paul, George and Ringo, the latter of whom helped her to...
- 3/16/2014
- by NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor
- Deadline TV
Aneurin Barnard will star in 'Cilla' with Sheridan Smith. 'The White Queen' actor will play Cilla Black's husband Bobby Willis in the new three-part period drama which will chart the rise to fame of the legendary British entertainer in the 1960s. Ed Stoppard, best known for his role in 'The Politician's Husband', has been hired to play iconic music manager Brian Epstein, who discovered Cilla and also managed The Beatles. John Henshaw ('Downton Abbey') will play Cilla's father John White, while Melanie Hill is set to star as the singer's mother, Priscilla, also known by her friends and family as Big Cilla. The drama,...
- 3/15/2014
- Virgin Media - TV
Sheridan Smith has signed up to play Cilla Black in a new drama for ITV.
The three-part series from Philomena writer Jeff Pope, will focus on the singer-turned-presenter's rocky rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool.
The drama will follow the unknown Priscilla White - Black's real name - as she pursues her dreams of stardom, embarks on a relationship with future husband Bobby Willis, and meets legendary manager Brian Epstein.
The series will also tell the story of Black's friendship with The Beatles, and how their success and links to industry bosses helped to shape her career.
Smith - who won a BAFTA Television Award for her role in Mrs Biggs last year - will reunite with the programme's executive producer Pope and director Paul Whittington for the project.
Describing Black's story as "fascinating", Smith said: "So thrilled to be back at ITV for such an exciting project and to...
The three-part series from Philomena writer Jeff Pope, will focus on the singer-turned-presenter's rocky rise to fame in 1960s Liverpool.
The drama will follow the unknown Priscilla White - Black's real name - as she pursues her dreams of stardom, embarks on a relationship with future husband Bobby Willis, and meets legendary manager Brian Epstein.
The series will also tell the story of Black's friendship with The Beatles, and how their success and links to industry bosses helped to shape her career.
Smith - who won a BAFTA Television Award for her role in Mrs Biggs last year - will reunite with the programme's executive producer Pope and director Paul Whittington for the project.
Describing Black's story as "fascinating", Smith said: "So thrilled to be back at ITV for such an exciting project and to...
- 2/16/2014
- Digital Spy
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