SHAWN MENDES put out four albums in five years as his star power rocketed from 2015 to 2020.
That came to an abrupt halt when the Canadian heart-throb cancelled his Wonder world tour after just seven shows in 2022, admitting he was struggling mentally.
But now he is back, after last night announcing the release of his first album in four years, titled Shawn.
It hasn’t been easy ride, as he explained in an Instagram post.
Shawn, pictured with facial hair in a black and white snap for the new album’s cover, said: “Music can be medicine. Two years ago I had no idea who I was. A year ago I couldn’t step into a studio without falling into panic.
“So to be here now with 12 beautiful finished songs feels like such a gift.
“Thank God for friends and family. I have no idea how I would have made it through the last couple of years, let alone make an album, without you.
“And to you guys who have been so supportive and patient and loving, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really hope you love this album. I hope it makes you feel warm and close to the earth like it does for me.”
He has teamed up for it with producer and songwriter Mike Sabath who last year worked on Raye album My 21st Century Blues, so it’s bound to tug on the heartstrings.
It will be preceded by two singles, Why Why Why and Isn’t That Enough, on Friday next week.
The timing of the album’s announcement, for release on October 18, is also poignant.
Two years ago this week, as Shawn cancelled his tour, he admitted that it had “become more clear I need to take the time I’ve never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger.”
It sounds like he is back on form.
Welcome back, Shawn.
I’LL be thinking of Elizabeth Banks the next time I tuck into my fish, chips and peas.
The Hunger Games actress has revealed she nearly choked on one of the tiny green veggies while working on new film Skincare.
Elizabeth said she was almost done over by a “little green pea” while tucking into lunch in her trailer.
She explained: “I threw the door open, couldn’t make any noise – it was terrifying.
“I happened to see someone, who said, ‘Are you choking?’. And I gave him the sign.
“He came over very calmly, I backed right into him and he gave me the Heimlich manoeuvre.
“His name is Julius, and he is my guardian angel. He saved my life, literally, on the set.”
SAM SMITH has used plenty of other people for inspiration over the years, but now the chart-topper has become someone else’s muse.
The star is the subject of a striking new portrait, created by French art duo Pierre et Gilles, who have depicted the singer as an angelic character playing a harp and wearing angel wings.
The work, called Gloria, is now on display at London’s National Portrait Gallery.
Sam said: “To sit for them was a dream come true.”
SPARE a thought for Jonathan Ross’s poor neighbours.
The talk show host has been going to the loo in his London garden to encourage his dogs, Pumpkin and Spooky, to do the same.
Asked on the Walking The Dog podcast if he had ever relieved himself outside, the star asked: “Do you mean when I weed in the garden or when I pooed in the garden?
“It’s actually desirable because you have to mark your territory.”
His daughter Honey added: “He claimed he was doing it to make the dogs feel more comfortable.
“But honestly, he was doing it on his own time for himself.”
Jonathan added: “If you’re going to poo in the garden, leaves are nowhere near as absorbent as you might hope when it comes to wiping up.
“That’s all I’m going to say.”
Confessions like this are enough for Wossy’s wife Jane Goldman to keep him in the doghouse for a bit.
It might put his mates off next time he invites them over for a barbecue, too.
BRYAN FERRY is back with his first new music in a decade.
His new song, Star, is out now, along with a reimagining of Bob Dylan’s 1965 track, She Belongs To Me.
The tunes come from a cool new 81-track album, which takes in the best of Bryan’s 16 solo releases.
Retrospective: Selected Recordings 1973-2023 is out on October 25.
BEYONCE’s fans have got themselves into a frenzy after it was revealed she is back working with the team behind her amazing music video for 2016 track Formation.
She was spotted filming, along with a stunt double, at a coastal village in Long Island, New York, called Sea Cliff.
Signs showed an area there was closed off for 24 hours.
Bey was later seen waving from a car after the shoot came to an end.
Fans are currently waiting for the singer to announce a tour for her last No1 album, Cowboy Carter, which came out in March.
Given it’s been ages since her last music video, I’d hazard a pretty strong guess that whatever Beyonce was filming is being created for future live shows.
NEVER one to bite her tongue Halsey has lashed out at fans by claiming they are the cruellest people towards her.
In a post on her Tumblr page, she said: “My own fans are hands down meaner to me than any other people on the planet.
“Not speaking for all of you, of course. But it used to be just a minority that were awful to me and now it seems like a majority have only stuck around to chime in occasionally with their opinion of how much they hate me or how awful I am.”
Halsey returned last week with a song called Lucky, following her health struggles with lupus as well as a rare disease called lymphoproliferative disorder.
But Halsey added: “I almost lost my life. I am not gonna do anything that doesn’t make me happy any more. I can’t spiritually afford it.
“When I got sick all I could think about was getting better so I could come back and be a part of THIS again – but I don’t even know what this is any more and I want to crawl in a hole and I regret coming back.”
No one should have to go through the vile picking apart of people which happens on social media, so I hope the situation improves soon.
THIS year’s Glastonbury was missing its infamous celeb haunt, The Rabbit Hole.
Kate Moss, David Beckham and Brad Pitt have all partied there during their time at Worthy Farm, although the venue vanished for the 2024 event.
But I’m happy to report the party isn’t over and The Rabbit Hole is hosting a two-day extravaganza at a country mansion in Bridgewater, Somerset, from September 13-15, with organisers going all-out for a weird and wonderful weekend.
The Rabbit Hole’s famous hot tub will make a return, too.
I’ll dig out my one-piece.
