This Week In Entertainment News 24 April 2026
It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it, so here we go with a special crime and punishment edition of This Week In Entertainment.
An investigation by triple j Hack has revealed booking company Aussie Gigs owes thousands to more than 20 Australian artists and bands in unpaid performance fees. It is alleged the ‘predatory’ agency approached artists to play gigs on the condition they could sell 20 tickets and funds would not be released if that threshold was not met. Artists claim they were never paid despite hitting the required ticket sales and were then ‘ghosted’ by Aussie Gigs. The investigation also uncovered that Aussie Gigs is financially linked to Revolt Entertainment, a company renowned for not paying artists.
Bluesfest director Peter Noble adds insult to injury as the fallout from the festival’s $10m collapse continues. When questioned by The Australian about the money he owes and the toxic workplace he created, Noble laughed and refused to answer. Former Bluesfest employees have claimed Noble continued to sell tickets with the knowledge the event would be cancelled as the company suffered a ‘slow bleed’.
In New Zealand, legal proceedings have been filed in the High Court to recover funds paid to artists who were set to perform at the cancelled Juicy Festival and Timeless Summer Tour. Originally scheduled for January 2025, the two music festivals were ultimately cancelled after promoters failed to get a liquor licence for Juicy Festival’s Auckland date. The companies involved, Juicy Festival Limited and Timeless Events New Zealand Limited, have since been placed into liquidation under Blacklock Rose Ltd, with more than $14 million still owed to creditors, including ticketholders, across both festivals. So far, none of the artists have returned their performance fees. The court case is set for May.
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32 years after his death, a recently released peer-reviewed report by independent forensic experts, including Bryan Burnett, challenges the official 1994 suicide ruling of Kurt Cobain. The report argues new evidence points to homicide, with an analysis suggesting the heroin dosage was too high for him to operate a shotgun, claiming signs of overdose and body movement after death. The case is still considered closed by the Seattle Police Department, but the report has reignited theories about the true nature of Cobain’s death and who may have been involved.
In other news, Warner Bros. shareholders have approved the company’s sale to Paramount Skydance in a deal worth more than $100bn. The takeover brings together two of the biggest studios in Hollywood, with many critics claiming the merger would further constrict an already highly concentrated media landscape. Workers fear it will result in major industry layoffs. The controversial deal ushers in a new era as the film and television sectors undergo a shift to streaming services amid changing audience viewing habits. Warner Bros. and Paramount are expected to oversee more than 210 million streaming subscribers, effectively reaching 19% of the US market. This puts them ahead of Disney+ and nearly on par with Amazon Prime just behind market leader Netflix.
If you’re in need of a laugh, Brisbane Comedy Festival is on from 24 April – 24 May at venues around the city. Kicking off with the perennially popular BCF Opening Gala, this year’s line-up features comedians from all over Australia and the world, including Nick Cody, Stephen K Amos, Connor Burns, Laura Lexx, Ting Lim, Tom Sainsbury, and heaps more. Check out the Brisbane Comedy Festival website for full details and tickets.
‘90s boy band sensation Five return to Australia next month for the first time in 25 years. The original line-up of Sean, Ritchie, Scott, Abz and J have officially reunited and will be here in May for a national tour. “This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now – 25 years on and we’re so ready for it,” Scott says. “Reconnecting as Five over the last year has been special and I know I speak for all the boys when I say we can’t wait to do this all over again. Hope you’re ready!”
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