Entertainment
‘Murder, She Wrote’ star Angela Lansbury dies aged 96
Actress Angela Lansbury, who became a household name through her role as a writer-detective in “Murder, She Wrote,” died on Tuesday, her family announced. She was 96.
The British-born star, who found fame and fortune as one of television’s most memorable characters, was also a hugely successful and decorated stage and film actress.
“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles… just five days shy of her 97th birthday,” a statement widely quoted in US media said.
Tributes came Tuesday from across the world, with Australian former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull posting a picture of the pair, who were cousins.
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“Thank you Angela for the joy & love you have shared with all the world all your life,” Turnbull tweeted.
Meanwhile NASA posted what it called “a cosmic rose” — a deep space constellation — in memory of the actress.
Lansbury was nearly 60 years old when she netted the role that made her famous: the mystery writer and amateur sleuth in the smash television series “Murder, She Wrote.”
In a career spanning more than seven decades, she appeared in about 60 films and starred in some of Broadway’s biggest musicals.
She snapped up six Golden Globes, five Tony Awards for her work in American theatre and, in 2013, an honorary lifetime Oscar.
But most remember her as the down-to-earth, middle-aged widow Jessica Fletcher who ferreted out criminals in the television series “Murder, She Wrote”, which ran from 1984 to 1996 on US television and was exported to dozens of countries, making her recognised the world over.
“I was amazed, almost everywhere in the world knew Jessica Fletcher. They treated me like a rock star,” Lansbury said in 2016.
The 264-episode series won her four of her Golden Globes, as well as a fortune: she garnered up to $300,000 per episode.
Even so, in 2017 at the age of 91, the still-lively actress spoke of her wish to play the role of Jessica Fletcher “just one more time”, British media reported.
– Teen screen debut –
Lansbury was born in London on October 16, 1925, to a family of politicians and actors.
Her grandfather, George Lansbury, was a leader of Britain’s Labour party in the 1930s and her mother, Moyna Macgill, was an Irish actress.
In 1940 she emigrated with her widowed mother to the United States, fleeing the World War II blitz.
Blonde with big, blue eyes, she studied acting in New York.
Her film breakthrough came at just 17 when she was cast as the conniving maid Nancy in the 1944 psychological thriller “Gaslight” with Ingrid Bergman, a role that won her an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress and led to a seven-year contract with MGM studios.
Another Oscar nomination quickly followed, for “The Picture of Dorian Gray” in 1946, while a third nomination came for “The Manchurian Candidate” in 1963, roles for which she picked up two Golden Globes.
However, Lansbury was often sidelined into secondary roles, playing characters older than herself.
“I was playing older parts when I was terribly young because I wasn’t a big screen beauty. I am a character actress,” she told BBC radio in 2014.
In the 1961 musical comedy “Blue Hawaii”, for example, she was the mother of a dashing tour guide played by Elvis Presley, who was only 10 years her junior.
– From Hollywood to Broadway –
Frustrated with her slow career in Hollywood, Lansbury moved to theatre in Broadway in the late 1950s.
She became a star in the title role of the 1966 musical “Mame”, about rich New Yorkers during the Depression, for which she trod the boards more than 1,500 times and won her first Tony Award. “Gypsy” (1973-1975) and “Sweeney Todd” (1979) followed.
But she continued to pick up roles in cinema, gaining a younger audience as the witch in the hit Disney film “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” in 1971.
She won her fifth Tony award in 2009 for her Broadway role as dotty clairvoyant Madame Arcati in Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.”
She reprised the part, in her late 80s, in London’s West end in 2014 — her first time on a London stage in 39 years, winning rave reviews.
“She’s the utmost professional,” Michael Blakemore, who directed her in the play, was quoted as saying in The Guardian newspaper in 2015.
“I think people such as her, who have been acting since they were teenagers, develop special gifts because they learn the basis of their craft when they are young and impressionable,” he said.
Lansbury was married for 53 years to her second husband Peter Shaw, who died in 2003.
Britain made Lansbury a dame in 2014.
“In addition to her three children, Anthony, Deirdre and David, she is survived by three grandchildren, Peter, Katherine and Ian, plus five great-grandchildren and her brother, producer Edgar Lansbury,” the family statement said.
“A private family ceremony will be held at a date to be determined.”
Entertainment
Actor Kunle Remi welcomes first baby with wife, Tiwi

Nollywood actor Kunle Remi and his wife, Tiwi, have welcomed their first child following a challenging medical journey.
The couple shared their emotional path to parenthood, revealing the hardships they endured, including a difficult medical discovery, prolonged bed rest, and over 80 days of faith-driven visits to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
In an emotional video post on Wednesday, the actor via his official Instagram page, @kunleremiofficial, expressed gratitude to God, reflecting on the trials and triumphs of their journey.
Remi wrote: “From an early arrival… to the unfolding of God’s perfect timing.
“From waiting, countless NICU visits, and clinging to God for 11 weeks and three days (that’s 80 days of faith).
“Our story is living proof that God is God — unfailing, unwavering, and faithful till the very end.
“From an unexpected and unsettling medical discovery… to complete bed rest.
“From juggling demanding work schedules… to hopping on flights, both locally and internationally.”
The couple’s love story has been in the public eye, since the actor surprised Tiwi with a marriage proposal during a visit to the United States in early 2024.
They later held a grand wedding in January 2024, attended by top Nollywood celebrities
Fans and colleagues have since flooded social media with congratulatory messages, celebrating the couple’s resilience and the arrival of their baby.
Entertainment
2Baba’s Family Declares Him Missing, Petitions DSS Amid Controversy

The family of Nigerian music legend Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has raised alarm over his disappearance, declaring him missing and petitioning the Department of State Services (DSS) for urgent intervention.
The petition, signed by Wilson Anuge of Anuge, Anuge & Co., has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread concern among fans and the entertainment industry.
The document states: “We are writing to urgently seek your assistance regarding a profoundly troubling situation involving a member of the Idibia Family.
“Mr. Innocent Idibia (also known as Tuface or 2Baba), our client, is reasonably believed to be missing since Monday, February 10.
“We believe that Mr. Innocent left his residence in the early hours of February 10 in his loungewear, suggestive that he was going on his habitual walk, but he has not returned home since then.
“In spite of the best efforts of his family members, staff, and management of his record label to reach or locate him, including reaching out to his friends and acquaintances, all efforts have proved abortive.
“They have been unable to establish any contact or ascertain his whereabouts.”
This development comes just 24 hours after 2Baba’s mother, Rose Idibia, made an emotional appeal to Nigerians, urging them to intervene in a situation involving Edo State lawmaker, Hon. Natasha Osawaru.
In a viral video, Mrs. Idibia accused the 31-year-old granddaughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion and Deputy Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly of casting a spell on the music star.
She alleged that her son was not in his right state of mind when he proposed to Osawaru, adding that his ongoing divorce battle with his estranged wife, Annie Idibia, had left him vulnerable.
“Good evening, Nigerians. My name is Mrs. Rose Idibia, the mother of 2Face,” she said in the video.
“This message is for Miss Natasha Osawaru of Edo State. I’m calling on all mothers in Nigeria to help me beg her to free my son.
“My son is going through a divorce process, and he is clearly not in his right senses now. I know my son well. That is not him.
“Please Natasha, the beads you put on his hand and on his neck, remove them and free him.”
2Baba’s rumored romance with Osawaru has been a trending topic all week, with reports of the singer visiting the Edo State Assembly complex and later being spotted with the lawmaker at a Lagos nightclub.
The situation has fueled public speculation, adding to concerns over the singer’s mysterious disappearance.
Entertainment
President Tinubu Hails Tems for Grammy Win, Celebrates Nigerian Music’s Global Impact

President Bola Tinubu has extended heartfelt congratulations to Temilade Openiyi, better known as Tems, for her remarkable achievement in winning the Best African Music Performance award at the 67th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President praised the singer for her outstanding artistry, which has once again brought global recognition to Nigeria. “The President celebrates the rise of a new generation of young and multi-talented Nigerian musical artists who have propelled Afrobeats to international prominence, projecting the country’s reputation as a powerhouse of musical innovation, creativity, and cultural influence,” the statement read.
Tinubu highlighted the far-reaching impact of Nigerian music: “From Africa to Antarctica, Asia to Australia, Europe to the Americas, the Nigerian music industry, particularly, Afrobeats has become a source of national pride, promoting a sense of identity and self-expression while uniting people across borders.”
The President also congratulated other Nigerian artists nominated at this year’s Grammys: Yemi Alade, Asake, Wizkid, Lojay, Davido, and Burna Boy. He expressed gratitude for their role in putting Nigeria on the global map of great musical achievements, showcasing the country’s creative excellence.
“You are all inspiration and role models to many young people. The nation remains deeply grateful for your contributions to music, job creation, and tourism promotion. I wish you all continued success in your musical careers,” President Tinubu added.
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