Tim Minchin

This month there really seems to be something for everybody be it hard rock or disco-pop. We're looking forward to a genre-bending journey with some long-awaited returns as well some new faces; quite the voyage of discovery for many of our favourite artists. But then playing it safe in 2020 hasn't been easy in any respect.

Disco - Kylie Minogue

(November 6th)

Continue reading: Upcoming Releases: From Disco To Hard Rock, November Looks To Be An Interesting Month

Popular baking competition - Bake Off - is back on Channel 4 but with some famous faces as various celebrities tackle the show for Stand Up To Cancer. Last night (20 March) it was the turn of Made in Chelsea star, Jamie Laing, and many viewers took to social media to point out how many times the reality TV star mentioned his grandfather invented the digestive biscuit.

Jamie Laing had a mixed night on Bake Off Stand Up To Cancer

The posh star - who comes from McVities dynasty - shared the tent with comedian Tim Minchin, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson and singer Ella Eyre.

Continue reading: Jamie Laing's Grandfather Invented The Digestive Biscuit Don't You Know?

Following surprising reports that Las Vegas rockers The Killers invited British comedian Jimmy Carr to join them onstage at V Festival, Contact Music looks at five of the most unlikely pairings from the worlds of comedy and music:

British comedian Jimmy Carr joined The Killers onstage at this year's V Festival

1) The Killers and Jimmy Carr

Continue reading: Unlikely Pairings - When Comedians And Musicians Come Together

The musicals will have it at this year's Oliver Awards, the annual ceremony to honour the year's best theatre productions, which will take place on the 13th April. Last year, Matilda The Musical was the evening's grand victor and the theme of Roald Dahl adoration will be continued this year with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and its Willy Wonka, AKA Douglas Hodge, standing out as early favourites.

'The Book Of Mormon' Is One Of The Nomination-Leading Productions At The Oliviers 2014.

The childrens musical, along with the 1981 comedy musical Merrily We Roll Along, leads the nominations this year with seven nods each. Next, The Book of Mormon, Once and The Scottsboro Boys are up for six prizes each and will battle it out in the fiercely-fought Best New Musical category.

Continue reading: 2014 Olivier Awards Nominees: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Merrily We Roll Along, The Book Of Mormon Set To Dominate

Matilda has been dubbed the best British musical for years, following its debut on Broadway. Critics were unanimous in their praise for the production, which sees four young actresses alternating in the lead role. It opened at the Shubert Theatre in New York on April 11, 2013 after a strong showing in previews last month.

Original cast-member from the British version, Olivier award winning Bertie Carvel reprises his role as Miss Trunchbull, while Lauren Ward and Ted Wilson also return as Miss Honey and Eric. With music and lyrics was acclaimed comedian and songwriter Tim Minchin, the music appears to have won as much acclaim across the Atlantic as it did in Britain. “The real miracle, though, is not Matilda, but Matilda, the wondrous new musical from London that has just arrived on Broadway. It would be easy to call it the best British musical since Billy Elliot, but that, I’m afraid, would be underselling it. You have to go back to The Lion King to find a show with as much invention, spirit and genre-redefining verve,” said TIME magazine’s Richard Zoglin. “It was Dahl who invented Matilda, the spunky, over-achieving, proto-feminist, grrl-power heroine of what is far and away the best new musical of the Broadway season, indeed one of the best family-oriented shows of any season,” said Chris Jones of the Chicago Tribune.

The West End production of Matilda broke records last year, winning seven Olivier Awards including the youngest award winner for 10-year-old Eleanor Worthington-Cox.

Continue reading: Matilda: The Musical Dubbed Best Broadway Show Since The Lion King

Chris Moyles got his run as King Herod in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar off to a flying start as critics and audiences alike agreed that the former BBC Radio One DJ put on an impressive show on the play's opening night.

Directed by Laurence Connor, the latest version of the biblical epic imagines Jesus Christ if he was alive in the modern era and apparently he would be joining in with the Occupy movement at St Paul, hanging out with dreadlocked anarchists, scaring any number of Roman bankers and spreading the Gospel via Twitter. After 42-years on stage, Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical has been given a much-needed reboot and the latest stage show demonstrates that Jesus Christ can work in the modern day.

The show's cast is led by Ben Forster, the victor of ITV's Superstar show to find a new Jesus Christ for the stage, with critics agreeing that the public did themselves good in finding a star who looks great and sings powerfully. Mel C, or Melanie Chisholm, plays the part of Mary Magdalene and Tim Minchin, who has just written the score for the stage adaptation of Matilda, stars as Judas Iscariot. However it is Moyles, proving that there is life after Radio One, who shines brightest in the new stage show.

Continue reading: Chris Moyles Impresses With His Turn As King Herod