The stories. The sources.
The bigger picture.
Preserved draft research. Source checks in the original pack were often headline-only. Read these notes as material to verify, not a published account.
Prepared in the supplied September 2026 research pack. No site publication date. Claims and outcomes below remain the original draft’s wording.
In 2025, entertainment news was about more than red carpets. It included wildfires, a landmark federal trial, fights over late-night TV and a bidding war for one of Hollywood's oldest studios. There was also a proposal that fans had been expecting for two years. Here are the year's biggest stories and where each one stood as of September 2026.
The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed whole neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Within days, officials had confirmed at least 25 deaths, CBS Los Angeles reported. Deadline tracked a long list of stars who lost their homes. Entire communities, including Pacific Palisades and Altadena, were left to rebuild.
Status: A year later, PBS News published an account of the fires' lasting toll.
As his privacy trial was about to begin, Harry settled his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers. The publisher gave him a "full and unequivocal apology" and paid what CBS News described as "substantial damages." The apology included an admission of "serious intrusion" into the private life of his mother, Princess Diana.
"Not Like Us" won five Grammys, including record and song of the year. One week later, Lamar headlined the Super Bowl LIX halftime show, which Billboard reported was the most-watched halftime show ever, with 133.5 million viewers.
Status: Drake's defamation lawsuit over the song was dismissed in 2025, and Drake filed a notice of appeal.
Date: Late February 2025; causes of death released March 7
The Oscar winner and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home. New Mexico's medical investigator said Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman died of heart disease, about a week after she did, according to officials.
How it ended: Officials said Hackman died of natural causes, and Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Dates: April 2025; October 21 and October 30, 2025
Giuffre, one of the best-known accusers of Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew, died in April 2025. Her posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl, came out in October. Andrew has always denied her allegations. On October 30, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles would remove his brother's title of prince and that Andrew would leave Royal Lodge.
Status: He is now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. He was arrested in February 2026 on suspicion of misconduct in public office and released under investigation. As of the latest reports we could verify, he had not been charged.
A Los Angeles judge resentenced Erik and Lyle Menendez to 50 years to life, which made them eligible for parole. In August, a parole board denied release to both of them.
Status: ABC News reported that they were granted an early parole suitability hearing for March 2027.
A federal judge dismissed Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit against Blake Lively and The New York Times. Lively's own lawsuit continued.
How it ended: In April 2026, the judge dismissed Lively's sexual harassment claims but allowed her retaliation claim to go forward. The parties settled on May 4, 2026, weeks before trial.
A Manhattan jury acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. It convicted him on prostitution-related counts. On October 3, he was sentenced to 50 months in prison.
Status: He is in prison, with a projected release in 2028. A federal appeals court heard arguments on his appeal in April 2026.
CBS said The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026 and called it a financial decision. The announcement came days after Colbert joked on air about Paramount's settlement with President Trump. On August 7, Skydance completed its merger with Paramount after FCC approval.
How it ended: The finale aired May 21, 2026, to a record weeknight audience for the show.
His family announced that the Black Sabbath singer had died "surrounded by love," only weeks after his farewell concert with Black Sabbath. NBC News reported that his death certificate listed a heart attack.
How it ended: Tributes came in from across the music world.
An American Eagle campaign built around Sweeney's "great jeans" drew backlash, NBC News reported, and a heated debate followed. NPR asked whether it marked a shift in advertising. Forbes reported that the retailer benefited from the attention.
Status: Sweeney later told NBC News she is "against hate."
The couple announced their engagement in a joint Instagram post. They had been dating publicly since fall 2023.
How it ended: They married on July 3, 2026, in a ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler, CBS News reported.
ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! "indefinitely" over his monologue remarks after Charlie Kirk was killed. The suspension drew wide criticism. When Kimmel returned, he gave an emotional monologue and criticized Trump and the FCC.
How it ended: The show returned September 23. Kimmel later signed a one-year contract extension through 2027.
The singer-actress and the producer got married in Santa Barbara, California, CBS News reported.
SAG-AFTRA condemned "Tilly Norwood," an AI-generated "actress," and said she is not an actor. OpenAI's Sora 2 video app upset talent agencies. After pressure from Bryan Cranston and SAG-AFTRA, OpenAI tightened its deepfake protections. Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery agreed on December 5 to sell its studios and HBO Max to Netflix. Paramount then launched a hostile bid.
Status: Netflix withdrew in February 2026. Paramount's deal is facing a lawsuit from 12 states.
25 people dead in Palisades and Eaton fires as Los Angeles braces for more high winds — CBS Los Angeles, January 2025
Celebrities Who Have Lost Their Homes In The Los Angeles Wildfires — Deadline, January 2025
A year after the LA wildfire disaster, key numbers show how it unfolded and the toll left behind — PBS News, January 2026
Prince Harry settles legal claim against Rupert Murdoch's UK newspapers — Al Jazeera, January 22, 2025
Prince Harry settles lawsuit with Rupert Murdoch's News Group newspapers for apology, "substantial damages" — CBS News, January 2025
2025 GRAMMYs: Kendrick Lamar Dedicates Record Of The Year Win To Los Angeles — Recording Academy, February 2, 2025
Kendrick Lamar's 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show Is Now the Most-Watched of All Time — Billboard, February 2025
Drake Files Notice of Appeal in Defamation Case Over 'Not Like Us' — Variety, 2025
Gene Hackman's cause of death was heart disease, wife died of hantavirus days earlier, officials say — CBS News, March 7, 2025
Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre wrote a memoir. Months after her death, it's coming out — CNN, August 24, 2025
King Charles III strips Prince Andrew of his titles and evicts him from the Royal Lodge — NPR, October 30, 2025
Former Prince Andrew 'released under investigation' after arrest by British police — NBC News, February 19, 2026
Erik and Lyle Menendez resentenced to 50 years to life — CNN, May 13, 2025
The Menendez brothers are denied parole. It's not their only possible path to freedom — NPR, August 21, 2025
Menendez brothers granted early parole suitability hearing for March 2027 — ABC News, 2026
Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation suit against Blake Lively dismissed — NPR, June 9, 2025
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settle dispute weeks before scheduled trial — NPR, May 4, 2026
Sean "Diddy" Combs acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, convicted on prostitution-related counts — CBS News, July 2, 2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentencing live updates: Combs gets 50 months in prison — ABC News, October 3, 2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is scheduled to be released from prison in May 2028 — NBC News, October 2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs: Appeals court grills attorneys over whether he was improperly sentenced — CNN, April 9, 2026
CBS cancels 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' — NPR, July 17, 2025
Skydance Closes $8 Billion Paramount Acquisition — Variety, August 7, 2025
Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath singer and godfather of heavy metal, dead at 76 — CNN, July 22, 2025
Ozzy Osbourne death certificate reveals rocker died of a heart attack: Reports — NBC News, August 2025
Does Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle 'great jeans' campaign mark a shift for ads? — NPR, July 29, 2025
Sydney Sweeney addresses American Eagle ad, says she's 'against hate' — NBC News, 2025
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce announce engagement — ESPN, August 26, 2025
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce married in ceremony officiated by Adam Sandler — CBS News, July 2026
ABC Suspends 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' "Indefinitely" Over Charlie Kirk Shooting Comments — The Hollywood Reporter, September 17, 2025
ABC ends Jimmy Kimmel's suspension, says his late-night show will return Tuesday — PBS News, September 2025
Selena Gomez marries Benny Blanco — CBS News, September 2025
SAG-AFTRA Condemns Tilly Norwood: AI Actress Is Not an Actor — Variety, September 2025
OpenAI cracks down on Sora 2 deepfakes after pressure from Bryan Cranston, SAG-AFTRA — CNBC, October 20, 2025
Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Following the Separation of Discovery Global — Netflix, December 5, 2025
Not so fast, Netflix. Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery — NPR, December 8, 2025
CBS cancels Stephen Colbert's late show days after Trump 'bribe' jab — Seeking Alpha, July 2025
Jimmy Kimmel Tears Up During Emotional Monologue, Slams Trump and FCC — Yahoo Entertainment, September 2025
Jimmy Kimmel Extends Late-Night Deal With Disney For One Year — Variety, 2025
Colbert 'Late Show' Finale Scores Most-Watched Weeknight Episode Ever With 6.74 Million Viewers — TheWrap, May 2026
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