'My truth is stranger than fiction': Bethenny Frankel denies she staged being lost at sea for reality TV show

Bethenny Frankel has denied staging a drama on the high seas for her reality TV show. 

The 40-year-old Skinnygirl mogul claimed they were stranded on the ocean for twenty hours last month after the GPS on the boat broke.

She was travelling from Block Island to Nantucket, Massachusetts, with her husband Jason Hoppy. Frankel's therapist and a Bravo camera team were also on board. 

Stranded at sea? Bethenny Frankel, pictured here with husband Jason Hoppy, denies that she staged her recent ocean drama for her reality show
But Tim Russell, the man who 'rescued' the couple, were never in any real danger. He insists that the navigation system was working when he received the call.

He told the Jewish Journal that he was called to help when the Coast Guard refused due to the lack of danger. 

He added that when Frankel got to shore, she bent down to kiss the deck but not until the cameras began rolling.

Russell also said he never received the $2,800 tip that Frankel told Ellen DeGeneres she gave to him.

My truth is stranger than fiction: The reality star walks through NYC with her husband, Jason Hoppy, and daughter Bryn

But Frankel insists the misadventure wasn't set up in order to score ratings for her reality show.

'Fiction? For some reason the craziest things just happen to happen to me,' the former Real Housewives of New York star told E! Online's Marc Malkin.

'Not many people have an iguana poop in their suite on their honeymoon or their baby nurse attempt to baptize their child.

She continued: 'I wish that boat trip were fiction rather than the nightmare it actually was. My truth is stranger than fiction.'

At the time of the drama, she said: 'It was very scary. Absolutely traumatic.

'We were in the middle of the deep sea with no land or anybody near us. The captain had never, in 30 years, called the Coast Guard.'

She, Hoppy and nine other passengers were travelling to the idyllic Massachusetts island when the incident occurred.

True to form, Frankel is still irritated that she's been called a liar and has taken to her Twitter page to vent her rage.

'Let's review last week's idiocies,' she wrote today. '1)I have a"nice"coach 2)I'm getting divorced 3)I'm pregnant 4)I lied re:being lost at sea Anything else?'

Read More

A bit of an animal: Mischa Barton poses topless with a lump of raw steak in a bizarre new Tyler Shields photo shoot

Lady Gaga famously wore a dress, hat and shoes made out of meat at last year's MTV Video Music Awards. 

So perhaps Mischa Barton was trying to follow in the superstar's footsteps when she agreed to take part in a rather bizarre photoshoot with celebrity photographer Tyler Shields. 

The 25-year-old actress struck a number of poses with a lump of steak in a new set of photographs.

Steak out: Mischa looks like she is about to take a bite out of a lump of raw steak in one photograph from celebrity photographer Tyler Shields

One shot featured her topless, sticking her tongue out towards the steak as it was proffered to her by an anonymous hand.

And in another, she is seen taking a bite out of the large lump of meat. 

The accompanying press release describes the star's appearance in the photos as 'naked, lipsticked, and icily coiffed like a Duran Duran-era object of desire.'

Taking a bite: A lipsticked Barton chomps on the raw steak in one shot from the photoshoot

With her hair scraped back into a ponytail, the star wears little makeup, making her bright cerise lipstick appear even more striking

For her part, Barton jokingly describes working with Tyler Shields on the shoot as 'terrible, horrible!'

She adds: 'First he covered me in milk, then he rolled me around in flour and made me slap my face with a steak! No, it was amazing!'

Give it the eyeball: Mischa holds a steak over her eye in one pose in a collaboration with Shields which she describes as 'amazing'

The animal trend: Lady Gaga arrived at last year's MTV Video Music Awards wearing a meat dress

One shot indeed shows the former O.C actress holding a slab of steak over one eye. 

Meanwhile, Shields explains that he got the idea about working with Barton through a mutual friend.

'I randomly met her friend and we talked about it. A few days later this happened,' he says.

'She was amazing to work with. I cant wait to do it again.'

Shields is famous for his work with celebrities including Lindsay Lohan, Glee star Dianna Agron, Alex Pettyfer and Hayden Panettiere who strike a number of provocative poses complete with knives, blood and guns.

The new pictures will be shown in London's Intimate Modern gallery this Wednesday.

Perhaps Barton will be hoping that the new photos will gain her some publicity for a career which has been on the wane since she left her starring role in TV series The O.C back in 2006. 

The actress does however, have a few movie projects in the pipeline. 

Her low budget horror flick The Sibling will be released in U.S. cinemas next week where she plays a high school guidance counsellor.  

She will also appear along with Martin Sheen in ensemble drama Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain, a drama about the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy - known as one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes. 

Tyler Shields will unveil a new exhibit in London this week with UK-based artist Maximilian Wiedemann, showing at Imitate Modern from October 13 to November 13.

Read More

Get orf my land! Disapproving farmer halts filming of scantily-clad Rihanna’s new video

She has certainly become well known for her sexed-up antics both onstage and off. But Rihanna's raunchy moves became too much for one farmer, who gave the star her marching orders today when he objected to to her peeling off her clothes on his land.

The 23-year-old singer was filming the video for her new single We Found Love with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris in a muddy barley field near Bangor, Co Down in Northern Ireland.

R Rated: Rihanna's raunchy moves saw production on her new music video halted after the farmer whose land she was filming on in Northern Ireland objected, it has been reported

'Inappropriate': Alan Graham, 61, asked for filming on We Found Love to stop when he saw the singer stripping off to a bikini

Alan Graham, 61, pulled up in his tractor to tell Rihanna to cover up and later said, 'Her behaviour was inappropriate.'

The filming, which saw the California King Bed hitmaker strip off her baggy jans and checked shirt to reveal a bikini made out of red handkerchiefs, took place close to a busy dual carriageway.

Mr Graham - a member of the Democratic Unionist Party and Alderman for North Down Borough council, - objected to the raunchy sight and asked for filming to be halted.

The DUP  is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by religious firebrand Ian Paisley Snr and currently led by Peter Robinson

Just not on! Democratic Unionist Party Alderman Alan Graham said he was fetching his tractor when he saw her cavorting in the field and thought it was unacceptable

Raunchy: The singer was filmed in provocative poses near a busy dual carriageway in Co. Down

No hard feelings: The farmer told reporters,'She understood where I was coming from. We shook hands and parted company on good terms'

It has strong links to Protestant churches, particularly the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, the church Paisley founded, and is considered a Protestant political party. 

Mr Graham had agreed that one of his fields could be used for yesterday's recording but was not aware what the production team had in mind for the pop superstar when they moved to an adjoining piece of land.

The father of four said today: 'She understood where I was coming from. We shook hands and parted company on good terms.'

Earlier he had used his tractor to help pull free some recording equipment which got stuck in mud. He also helped fill in a hole with some of his straw.

Smoking break: Rihanna also lit up during the shoot in the field

Move on: Mr Graham was uncomfortable with the direction the shoot had taken and told the crew they were not entitled to behave that way on his land

Calling the shots: The Umbrella singer gives her own direction

Mr Graham, who owns 60 acres at Clandeboye outside Bangor, added: 'I realised things had got to a stage which were not acceptable to me, Things became inappropriate and I asked the film crew to stop.

'I never heard of Rihanna until someone called me requesting the use of my land. I knew on Monday who she was. Someone explained she was as big as it gets as far as pop stars were concerned. I am a bit illiterate about those issues.

'If someone wants to borrow my field and things become inappropriate, then I say: "Enough is enough. You are not entitled to do that".

'There was no firm arrangement about borrowing the field. Everything was done on an ad hoc basis.

Country girl: Riri gets down to business in Ireland

Queen of seduction: Rihanna oozes sex appeal as she films her new video

American woman: A dirty looking Rihanna gets put through her paces

Lights, camera, action: Extra lighting is set up to capture the Bajan beauty

Last week Rihanna posted a series of messages about her new song on Twitter to nearly 8 million followers before the track was given its first airplay on Thursday.

She Tweeted: 'Btw I just HAVE to say a special Thank You for aaalllll the #MAJAH support on my first single WE FOUND LOVE!!!Hear it on iTunes if u haven't.' (sic)

The song takes on a dance direction and follows a house riff that slowly builds up before the heavy beat drops.

The title, We Found Love, began trending on Twitter after Def Jam began a massive online campaign over two weeks ago.

Greeting the fans: Rihanna was later seen waving to her adoring fans as she shot scenes for the video on a Belfast estate

Double denim: Rihanna donned a denim bra top and matching skirt, with ripped stockings and trainers

Scene of the shoot: Hundreds of people tried to catch a glimpse of the star as she shot the video

Rude girl: Rihanna makes a rude gesture as she shoots the scenes

Step aside! Rihanna shouted for people to move back while she was filming the video for her new single We Found Love in the New Lodge area of North Belfast

What's up Belfast? The 23-year-old, who added a pair of raunchy hold-ups to her dungarees ensemble, didn't appear too bothered by the crowd

Rihanna had been filming the video for her latest single, We Found Love, with Scottish DJ Calvin Harris – which at one point saw the singer go topless – when Mr Graham spotted her stripping down to a bikini made up of red handkerchiefs.

The furious farmer, who asked  for filming to be halted, defended his actions yesterday, saying  Rihanna’s behaviour was ‘

Mr Graham had agreed for one of his fields in Bangor, County Down, to be used for recording but was not aware what the production team had in mind for the star.

The father-of-four, a member the Democratic Unionist Party on North Down Borough Council, said: ‘I had never heard of Rihanna until someone called me requesting the use of my land. I knew on Monday who she was.

In full view: The Barbadian gave the watching crowd a sight of her best assets

The show must go on: Schoolchildren clamoured with their phones and cameras for shots of the star, who marched past undeterred

Showered with attention: Hoses spraying water all over the set for the video only added to the chaos

What are you looking at? Rihanna's appearance was a far cry from that of your average farm hand with her denim crop top and scarlet lips

‘Someone explained she was  as big as it gets as far as pop  stars were concerned. I am a bit illiterate about those issues.

‘I realised things had got to a stage which was not acceptable to me. Things became inappropriate and I asked the film crew to stop.

‘If someone wants to borrow my field and things become inappropriate, then I say, “Enough is enough. You are not entitled to do that”. She understood where I was coming from. We shook hands and parted company on good terms.’

Seeing them off: Rihanna climbed into a white car to carry her away from the heaving masses

Final touch-up: Rihanna made a quick stop to allow a make-up artist to perfect her lips before filming

Read More

Goldie quits X Factor ... for making fun of her and using her as a 'joke act'

The X Factor has been plunged into fresh chaos after a finalist walked out on the show over fears she was being used as a 'joke act'.

Goldie Cheung is the first person ever to have chosen to quit after being selected for the talent contest's live rounds.

The 49-year-old mother of two – who wore skimpy outfits and wrapped her leg around judge Gary Barlow's neck during her audition – was one of 16 acts picked to move into the X Factor 'house' in Hertfordshire.

Raunchy: Goldie Cheung sprawls across a piano on tonight's X Factor. She has now quit the show after being annoyed at being made a joke of

She was due to arrive last Sunday to prepare for next month's live shows. But Ms Cheung failed to turn up at the £5 million villa.

Her exit comes as the programme was forced to replace Sian Phillips, another of the finalists, because she had served time in jail for affray.

An X Factor spokesman confirmed Ms Cheung, whose husband is a former civil servant, had left the show for 'personal reasons'.

Showing off her moves: Goldie was seen strutting her stuff on stage during the X Factor bootcamp last nigh

Quirky: Goldie gave it her all during her performance, even writhing on the stage floor for effect

But The Mail on Sunday has spoken to sources who claim she left because she feared she would be turned into a national laughing stock

It raises further questions about the ITV1 show's treatment of contestants. Only last week it was criticised for its handling of 54-year-old widow Ceri Rees, who was repeatedly invited back by producers but ridiculed for her performances.

The Mail on Sunday tracked down Ms Cheung to her family's £350,000 bungalow in Skelmersdale, Lancashire.

Asked if she had left the show, Ms Cheung, who was still dressed in her pyjamas at 4.30pm, said: 'No, I haven't left the show. Who told you that? I haven't even told anyone that.

'I cannot speak to you. The X Factor have told me I can't give any interviews.'

Despite her sudden exit from the show, Ms Cheung features heavily in tonight's and next week's programmes, which were filmed more than three weeks ago.

A source said her decision to leave was triggered by discussions with her husband, David Webb, 52, who used to work for Chris Patten, the former British Governor of Hong Kong. Mr Patten is now chairman of the BBC.

Tonight, viewers will see Ms Cheung give another attention-grabbing performance, lying on a piano and afterwards attempting to kiss Take That star Barlow.

Following a series of conversations with her husband, Hong Kong-born Ms Cheung concluded she was being used by the programme as a figure of fun – like last year's tone-deaf act Wagner Carrilho – rather than a serious contender.

In further scandal, X Factor bosses had to kick out Miss Phillips, 24, because her conviction would prevent her getting a visa to travel with other contestants to Miami.

She will be seen briefly on tonight's show before she is replaced.

BBC confirms there is no role for Cheryl Cole on The Voice

Cheryl Cole has suffered another career setback after the BBC confirmed it would not offer her a role on new reality show The Voice.

Corporation sources said the 28-year-old held talks about appearing on the series, which will feature singers auditioning to a blindfolded celebrity panel so they are judged purely on their vocal ability.

But producers felt the show, which launches in the spring, needed a fresh face. A decision on the line-up has yet to be made.

Miss Cole is on a sabbatical after leaving her judging role on The X Factor and being axed from the US version of the show. Sources said the singer intends to focus on her music.

Read More

The love boat! Bikini-clad Kim Kardashian and new husband Kris Humphries can't hide their affection on romantic lake trip

They had just returned from their romantic 'mini-mooon' on Italy's Amalfi Coast.

So it was no surprise that newlyweds Kim Kardahsian and Kris Humphries barely could keep their hands, nor lips off each other, in the days that followed.

Kim and Kris are seen as the epitome of wedded bliss in exclusive new photos of the couple on Kris' private boat in Minnesota over the Labor Day weekend, last month.

Newlywed bliss: Kim and Kris are seen as the epitome of wedded bliss in exclusive new photos of the couple on Kris' private boat in Minnesota over Labor Day weekend, last month
Honeymoon mode: Straight after touching down from their honeymoon in Italy, the pair headed straight to Kris' hometown to spend some time with family and friends Straight after touching down from Italy, the pair headed straight to the New Jersey Nets player's hometown for the first time as a married couple to spend the weekend with his family and friends. There, they stayed with Kris' parents William and mother Debra and caught up with Kris' pals after their fairytale wedding and whirlwind honeymoon. But while they were busy socialising with the holiday clan, the couple clearly only had eyes for each other. Kris hardly took a break from having his hands on his bikini-clad bride, who looked stunning in a bright aqua two-piece, which showed off the reality star's stunning curves.

Hot and heavy: Kris hardly took a break from having his hands on his bikini-clad bride, who looked stunning in a bright aqua two-piece, which showed off the reality star's stunning curves The raven-haired beauty wore a white, black and aqua silk chiffon kimono-style kaftan over the flattering bathing suit and retired her usual super high heels by slipping into some black leather sandals. She accessorised with a jangling of silver bracelets and carried a black leather woven handbag. Trying to remain as casual as a Kardashian can be, Kim pulled her hair back tightly into a braid and paired down her make-up a touch.

'Pucker up princess': Kris leans in for yet another kiss with his stunning brid
e

Read More

You sexy thong! Emmy Rossum shows off her gorgeous bikini body... but her co-star Justin Chatwin is simply Shameless

Fans of the UK's Shameless better look away now.

These are shots from a scene being filmed for the second season of US cable network Showtime's interpretation of the show, and it is unrecognisable from the original.

Emmy Rossum, 25 , can be seen playing around in a black bikini clutching a champagne flute with co-stars Amy Smart, 35 , Justin Chatwin, 28 , and Shanola Hampton, 34.

The High Life: Emmy Rossum donned a bikini aboard a luxury yacht on Friday to film scenes for the US Shameless

Glamorpuss: Fiona never dressed like this down at The Jockey It looks more like a scene from CW's drama of teen angst and privilege, Gossip Girl, than the adventures on the Chatsworth Estate, filmed in Wythenshawe, Manchester. When it emerged that the beloved British series Shameless was to be translated for our American cousins, there was a collective intake of breath from it's fans. With its lurid tales of petty crime, sexual deviance and a local pub that sells ecstasy over the counter, it would be tempting for Showtime bosses to depart from the original model. Initially the show remained true to its model, but these pictures of some of the young cast filming a scene on a yacht suggest that the second season may veer into teen soap territory.

Too much information? Emmy's co-star Jason Chatwin isn't shy as he shows off his muscles in a skimpy thong

You can leave your hat on: The actor takes off his trousers to reveal his blue swimwear Rossom, who plays Frank Gallagher's eldest daughter Fiona, is a case in point. The New Yorker looked stunning in a black bikini, and though she takes on the role - no longer in the Channel 4 show - once filled by beautiful Anne Marie Duff, 40 , the differences are marked. Rossum is the privately educated niece of designer Vera Wang, whereas Duff grew up on a tough West London estate. Justin Chatwin, 28 , who plays Fiona's flashy love interest Steve McBride, is less suited to live in the Gossip Girl world, hailing from middle class origins in British Columbia.

Lights, camera, action!: Rossum looked perfectly presentable for her scene, despite her character enjoying a dip in the water But still, we can't remember James McAvoy, 32 , who played the role originally and went on to marry Duff and find film fame, wearing tight Speedoes. Paul Abbott, creator of the original, said as the series was launched: 'It's not My Name Is Earl or Roseanne. It's got a much graver level of poverty attached to it. It's not blue collar; it's no collar.' When John Wells, began pitching the show, he had to fight efforts to place the show in the South or in a trailer park. He explained: 'We have a comedic tradition of making fun of the people in those worlds. The reality is that these people aren't 'the other' — they're people who live four blocks down from you and two blocks over.'

Read More