Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock star, announces engagement to director Sophie Hunter

Couple made the news public with a small announcement in The Times of London

The Associated Press Posted: Nov 05, 2014 8:50 AM ET Last Updated: Nov 05, 2014 8:51 AM ET

Eight lines have broken many hearts.Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch and theatre director Sophie Hunter announced their engagement Wednesday, making the news public with a minuscule eight-line announcement on the births, deaths and marriages page of The Times newspaper in London.

A photo of the forthcoming marriages section of The Times newspaper shows the announcement. (The Associated Press)

Cumberbatch's spokeswoman, Karon Maskill, confirmed the engagement.

The announcement comes only weeks after another eligible bachelor tied the knot. Hollywood star, George Clooney, married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin.

The 38-year-old Cumberbatch became a global star with his modern-day portrayal of the cerebral sleuth, and is being praised for his role as code-breaking genius Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. Turing's work cracking German codes helped win World War II, but he was later prosecuted for homosexuality and committed suicide.

Hunter, 36, is known for directing avant-garde plays, including a puppet version of Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic expedition. She studied theatre in Paris and New York and has appeared as an actor in films including the 2004 adaptation of Vanity Fair starring Reese Witherspoon.

She and Cumberbatch appeared together in the 2009 thriller Burlesque Fairytales.

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Marilyn Monroe photo raffled for $5 could fetch $60K

A candid shot of Marilyn Monroe during a moment of repose is expected to fetch up to $60,000 at auction in Vancouver Wednesday. (Richard Avedon)

A striking photograph of Marilyn Monroe that was raffled off in North Vancouver for $5 is expected to go for $40,000 to $60,000 — and possibly more — at auction Wednesday.

"I'm really happy for the guy who bought the ticket," joked Chris Loranger, the former director of Presentation House Gallery, in an interview with The Early Edition.

The black-and-white photograph is one of two Richard Avedon prints purchased by Loranger in 1983 for $2,000 apiece, in a bid to secure an exhibit by the famed celebrity photographer.

Loranger then raffled off the shots for the $5 price of admission.

Loranger says the winner was a neighbour of his, and he believes he's the same person now auctioning the print at Vancouver's Maynard's Fine Art and Antiques.  

Image depicts Monroe's 'sad' side

Kate Bellringer, the director of contemporary and Canadian art at Maynard's, says the image is unique because it captures a candid and vulnerable side of Monroe.

Photographer Richard Avedon, shown here in a 1963 self-portait, is a celebrated fashion and portrait photographer. (Richard Avedon/The Associated Press)

"It's sort of unlike what we would normally see Marilyn as," said Bellringer. 

"She's not quite the breathy blonde. She looks a little bit more sad, actually, and tired."

The gelatin silver print was taken in 1957 in New York City, and is signed by the late photographer.

"She had come to Richard's studio to be photographed and had danced and posed and done Marilyn for hours," said Bellringer.

"This photograph was taken sort of at the end of shoot when she was basically just taking a moment to herself."

Similar print netted more than $80K

The print up for auction Wednesday is one of 25. 

Another in the same edition sold for over $80,000 in 2011, and Bellringer says she's "hesitantly optimistic" that this print could fetch a similar price. 

Despite its incredible jump in value, Loranger has no second thoughts about raffling off the portrait in 1983.

'You can't look back with regret...we got what we wanted, and one guy got a great prize.'- Chris Loranger, former director of Presentation House Gallery

"You can't look back with regret," he said, explaining that securing a Richard Avedon show was a huge coup for his gallery.

"It worked out really well I think. We got what we wanted, and one guy got a great prize."

Maynard's Contemporary, Canadian, Northwest Coast and Inuit Art Auction begins Wednesday at 11 a.m.

You can watch the bidding live at invaluable.com

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Taylor Swift's new album, 1989, sells 1.287 million copies in 1st week

The Shake It Off singer's fifth album earned biggest sales week of any album in 12 years

CBC News Posted: Nov 05, 2014 9:15 AM ET Last Updated: Nov 05, 2014 9:15 AM ET

Taylor Swift's new album has sold 1.287 million copies in its first week.

Nielsen SoundScan announced late Tuesday that 1989 earned the largest sales in a week for an album since Eminem's The Eminem Show sold 1.322 million units in 2002.

Swift is the only artist to have three albums push more than 1 million units in its debut week: 2012's Red sold 1.208 million and 2010's Speak Now sold 1.047 million copies, respectively.

The 24-year-old's fifth album features the smash hit, Shake It Off. She will launch a world tour next year.

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Remembering The Real Winnie exhibition opens in Toronto

Canadians can delve into the true story behind Winnie the Pooh and the Canadian connection to the classic children's stories at a new exhibition opening Wednesday in Toronto.

Remembering The Real Winnie is being hosted by Ryerson University. It showcases photographs, diaries, letters and artifacts relating to Lt. Harry Colebourn, the Canadian veterinarian and soldier who first adopted the black bear cub that inspired the iconic franchise.

The Canadian connection

This 1914 gelatin silver print, taken by an unknown photographer, shows Lt. Harry Colebourn feeding Winnie in Salisbury Plain, England. (The Colebourn Family Archive)

A century ago this summer, Lt.​ Colebourn purchased the orphaned bear from a White River Ont. hunter for $20. Weeks later he was shipped out to Europe in the early days of the First World War.

Colebourn took the cub (named Winnie after his hometown of Winnipeg) with him to England where it became the unofficial mascot for Colebourn's unit, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade​.

When it was time to fight in France, Colebourn loaned his beloved pet to the London Zoo where it caught the eye of A.A. Milne and his son, Christopher Robin.

Winnie became the inspiration for the book Winnie the Pooh, which has since been published in more than 45 languages and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide.

From the darkness of war

The central feature of the exhibition is Colebourn's never-before-displayed wartime diaries from The Colebourn Family's archives. It traces Colebourn's story from 1914 to 1919 when he permanently donated Winnie to the London Zoo.

The exhibition also coincides with a number of events marking the centenary of the First World War, including a recent U.K tour of remembrance by the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Colebourn's great granddaughter, children's book author Lindsay Mattick, also participated, tracing her great-grandfather's steps through Salisbury and to the London Zoo. 

Watch CBC's Nalah Ayed's report on the tour and its Winnie connections in the video above. Winnie's history will also be explored in an upcoming children's book by Mattick next year.

"My hope," said the author in a statement, "is that people will feel as inspired by the heart of this story as I have.

"These resources serve as profound reminders that one can never truly know the impact that a small, loving gesture can have in this world."

Remembering The Real Winnie will be on view at the Ryerson Image Centre until Dec. 7.

Admission is free. Fans unable to make it to Toronto, can view an interactive online feature that makes the entire collection digitally accessible to the public.

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Christian Bale reportedly pulls out of Steve Jobs movie

Actor Christian Bale has reportedly pulled out of a movie adaptation on Steve Jobs's life despite earlier confirmation he'd play the iconic Apple innovator.

Just last month, the movie's acclaimed screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, confirmed the Oscar-winner's participation in the project and revealed that Bale was so desirable he didn't even have to audition.

"We needed the best actor on the board in a certain age range and that's Chris Bale," Sorkin said in an interview with Bloomberg News.

"It's an extremely difficult part and he's gonna crush it."

Despite Sorkin's certainty, Bale apparently disagreed. Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that Bale withdrew from the project because the actor felt he wasn't right for the part.

Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle is signed on to direct the film adaptation of Walter Isaacson's bestselling biography on the late tech giant. It was published two weeks after Jobs died in 2011.

Bale is the second high-profile Hollywood star to pass on the role. Wolf of Wall Street actor Leonardo DiCaprio had also been linked to the part, but it's believed he turned it down to star in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's western, The Revenant, instead. 

Canadian actor and Neighbours star, Seth Rogen, is reportedly in talks to play Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak.

It's not yet clear how Bale's departure will affect the project's production schedule and future casing decisions.

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Taylor Swift poised for platinum, coming to Canada

Taylor Swift's new album 1989 is poised to sell more copies than any other album in its first week of release since 2002.

Music industry publication Billboard predicts that Swift's first pop album is on track to sell more than 1.3 million copies, making it the first platinum album of 2014.

If the predictions pan out, Swift would hold the record for one-week sales for an album by a female artist. That title is currently held by Britney Spears's 2000 album Oops!… I Did It Again, which sold 1.319 million copies in its debut week. Swift's sales may also rival the 1.322 million copies of The Eminem Show sold in its first week in 2002.

Swift's 2012 album Red was also a record breaker. It sold 1.21 million units in its debut week. 

Taylor Swift has revealed world tour dates in support of her new album, including 7 dates in Canada. (Big Machine)

The numbers will be released by SoundScan on Wednesday.

Swift's red hot record sales come after the music industry endured historically low sales this summer. Many blame the rise of music streaming sites for the decline.

​Swift coming to Canada

Canadian Taylor Swift fans can start circling dates on their calendars. The 24-year-old formally announced her highly-anticipated world tour Monday to promote her new album. The tour kicks off in Louisiana on May 20 and includes seven Canadian dates:

• Ottawa – July 6.
• Montreal  – July 7.
• Vancouver  – Aug. 1.
• Edmonton  – Aug. 4, 5.
• Toronto  – Oct. 2, 3.

Swift snubs Spotify

While fans can hope to see her live, they won't be able to enjoy her music on Spotify. Taylor Swift's record label Big Machine announced Monday that is has removed all of her music from the popular streaming site, which recently launched in Canada.

The only exception is Safe & Sound, from The Hunger Games soundtrack.

Spotify has pleaded with Taylor Swift to reconsider. The company wrote in a blog post, "We hope she'll change her mind and join us in building a new music economy that works for everyone." 

Some industry analysts have pointed out that taking Swift's music off Spotify may be connected to reported negotiations to sell Big Machine Label Group since it may serve to increase the company's value by creating scarcity.

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Jian Ghomeshi investigation continues as Q executive producer takes time off

Arif Noorani, executive producer of the CBC Radio show Q, is taking time off, CBC spokesman Chuck Thompson has confirmed.

The temporary departure comes as the arts, culture and entertainment show's former host, Jian Ghomeshi, faces an investigation after three women came forward to Toronto police alleging he attacked them.

Joanna Beaven-Desjardins, a sex-crimes inspector with Toronto police, has urged any other potential victims to contact police. (Michael Charles Cole/CBC)

Ghomeshi has not been charged with any criminal offence, and has said all acts involving rough sex with women were consensual.

The CBC fired Ghomeshi on Oct. 26, saying "information came to our attention recently that in CBC's judgment precludes us from continuing our relationship with Jian."

Ghomeshi has not responded to CBC requests for comment on his accusers' allegations.

Thompson said Monday it was Noorani's decision to take some time while the CBC examines the allegations about Ghomeshi. He said the entire Q staff was offered the week off, but it was up to them whether they wanted to take it.

The public broadcaster is expected to announce today the name of a third-party outside firm that will be hired to investigate the situation involving Ghomeshi and allegations about his behaviour.

The announcement is expected to outline the scope of the investigation and how it will be done.

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Canadian authors in the running for big bucks tonight

Winners of six book prizes will be revealed, worth a total of $139,000

The Canadian Press Posted: Nov 04, 2014 9:36 AM ET Last Updated: Nov 04, 2014 9:44 AM ET

Canada's book awards season heats up tonight with the announcement of the Writers' Trust of Canada winners.

Six literary awards will be handed out at a ceremony in Toronto, including the $25,000 Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.

Finalists for the fiction prize include Toronto-based Miriam Toews, who won the award for 2008's The Flying Troutmans.

The other fiction finalists are Carrie Snyder, Andre Alexis, Steven Galloway and K.D. Miller.

The Writers' Trust is the first of three major literary awards to be handed out this year.

The others are the Scotiabank Giller Prize, which will be handed out next week, and the Governor General's Literary Awards, set for Nov. 18.

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Hello Kitty turns 40 with 1st ever fan convention

Hello Kitty cuteness took over Little Tokyo in downtown Los Angeles over the weekend on the first ever Hello Kitty fan convention.

The convention has drawn more than 25,000 fans over four days. Long lines snaked through the sold-out event — $30 for adults and $20 for children aged six to 12 — for the festival.at the Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 

Visitors could pose for photos with Hello Kitty, get permanently inked with her image, hear lectures about her popularity and shop for exclusive products created for the mouthless cat character's 40th birthday, which falls on November 1st.

The first Hello Kitty product was a coin purse, launched in 1975. (Sanrio/ Associated Press)

Chicago tattoo artist Mario Desa created about 100 Hello Kitty-inspired designs for ink-friendly fans. Scores of fans came in costume, wearing Hello Kitty dresses, cat ears and the character's signature red bow.

Many vintage Hello Kitty items are also on display, including the Hello Kitty coin purse issued in Japan in 1975 that launched her popularity. For its first U.S. appearance, the tiny, original vinyl purse is displayed with all the pomp of a famous and expensive jewel. It sits atop a pile of blue velvet inside a glass case rimmed with red ropes, all alone in a room manned by security guards.

Lectures, panel discussions and hands-on craft workshops are offered throughout the convention, along with ample shopping opportunities.

Companies such as Sephora and Spam have created special products for Hello Kitty Con, including a $450 crystal-encrusted makeup-brush set and Spam shaped like a Kitty face.

Another pop-up shop carries convention souvenirs and 40th anniversary limited-edition items, while a "Vintage Shoppe" offers authentic antique pieces, including a Hello Kitty plush doll that cost $14.50 in 1976 and now sells for $150.

Hello Kitty helps generates about $8 billion a year for its creator Sanrio, according to the company.

The neighbouring Japanese American National Museum is showing an associated exhibit, "Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty," through until April that features a breadth of Hello Kitty products as well as creative interpretations of the character from 40 international artists.

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Jian Ghomeshi investigators hear from 3rd woman

Toronto police are asking for the public's help as they investigate former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi for what they are calling complaints of "assault and sexual assault" after three women alleged that they were attacked by him.

The investigation is in its "infancy," sex crimes Insp. Joanna Beaven-Desjardins said Saturday. None of the allegations has been proven.

She called on anyone with any evidence that could help the investigation to contact police and said potential evidence would include videos, photos or online messaging.

She encouraged any potential further victims to contact police as well — either to file a report, discuss their options or seek counselling.

"Even if they don't want to report but they want to talk to us, we welcome that," Beaven-Desjardins said at news conference.

Former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi denies any allegations that he engaged in non-consensual sexual activities. (Mark Blinch/Reuters)

Over the past week, several women have spoken with either the Toronto Star or CBC and claimed they were in some way attacked by Ghomeshi during romantic encounters. The majority of the women spoke with the media anonymously and, at the time, none of them had filed a police complaint.

Trailer Park Boys star Lucy DeCoutere told CBC News that Ghomeshi physically attacked her during a date in 2003. None of the women who spoke with the CBC instructed Ghomeshi to stop the alleged violence as it was happening.

Sunday, November 2, 2014 | Categories: Michael's Essays 20

Beaven-Desjardins would not say if any of the women who have filed police complaints are among those who spoke to the media.

CBC News has confirmed DeCoutere is one of the three women who have since come forward to the police.

"On Thursday, Oct. 23, CBC saw, for the first time, graphic evidence that Jian Ghomeshi had caused physical injury to a woman. We have reached out to the police and will fully cooperate with their investigation," CBC spokesman Chuck Thompson said Saturday.

Ghomeshi has denied all allegations that he engaged in any non-consensual sexual activity. He posted a detailed note on Facebook last weekend describing his sexual preferences and said he has only participated in acts that were "mutually agreed upon, consensual and exciting for both partners."

On Thursday, he issued a new Facebook statement, saying, "I want to thank you for your support and assure you that I intend to meet these allegations directly. I don't intend to discuss this matter any further with the media."

CBC ended its relationship with the former Q host on Oct. 26.

Ghomeshi has launched a $55-million lawsuit against the CBC and is also grieving his dismissal through the union process.

Beaven-Desjardins said the police have not yet spoken to Ghomeshi. She said the police will invite him to come speak to them.

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