This Week In Entertainment News 7 August 2026
Music and entertainment news from Australia and around the world, plus new releases and tour updates.
Veteran artist and sports manager Ralph Carr was convicted of rape and is currently in prison awaiting sentencing. He is reported to be considering an appeal. Carr was revealed to be the high-profile Melbourne businessman on trial after a three-year suppression order concealing his identity was lifted. Carr was found guilty of assaulting a former employee in 2023; he has also been accused of intimidating behaviour and being verbally abusive by dozens of women who worked for his company, Ralph Carr Management. Carr has managed some of the biggest names in Australian music and sports, including singer Tina Arena who was married to Carr from 1995 to 1999.
Celebrity gossip blogger and columnist Perez Hilton was hospitalised following a TikTok livestream in which Hilton appeared to harm himself. His current condition is unknown, and his family have requested privacy. Hilton forged a lucrative career in the 2000s and became a notorious media personality for his candid, uncensored, and unapologetic reporting style.
Deep Purple bassist and former Black Sabbath frontman Glenn Hughes has announced his immediate retirement from touring and live performance as he prepares to undergo lifesaving heart surgery. The 74-year-old shared the news in a Facebook post, revealing he was experiencing health issues, adding that “numerous MRIs, CT scans, and an echocardiogram” led his doctors to suggest open-heart surgery. Hughes joined Deep Purple in 1973 and remained until 1976, recording three studio albums with the group. As a member of Deep Purple, he was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016.
An antitrust challenge to the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger that was brought by a group of consumers has been tossed out by a federal judge in the US. Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled that the five consumer plaintiffs – three current Paramount+ subscribers and two prospective subscribers – presented a lack of standing in their suit and failed to establish “cognizable” economic fallout that would invoke antitrust regulation.
Meanwhile, the merger has received UK approval from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy receiving assurances and legally binding commitments to safeguard the continued availability of a diverse range of broadcasting and on-demand services in the UK; the continuation of their distinct editorial identities; and, the distinct editorial identities of key UK news programs.
Having firmly established themselves within the WA scene as creators of music that hits hard and fast with emotion and craft, four-piece rock outfit Unicorn are back with a new dose of the above in a blistering fresh track: ‘Sweet Ride’. Driven by sharp guitars and buoyed by rhythms that make way for moments of primal and euphoric release, the song marks an exciting step forward for the band.
Across three decades, Harbourlife has remained one of Sydney’s defining summer events. Returning to Fleet Steps at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair on Saturday 21 November, the 2026 edition arrives with a new visual identity, a bigger and better sound than ever before and a lineup spanning global house icons and the names shaping dancefloors right now. Harbourlife 2026 line-up features: Honey Dijon, Max Dean, Luke Dean, Ben Sterling, Omar+, Honeyluv, Jordan Brando, Morgan Seatree, Bella Backe, and Samantha Loveridge (Aus).
Melbourne-based artist Callum Padgham has unveiled his debut EP ‘Love is the Centre of the Universe’, a jubilant and heartfelt release featuring 2 brand-new singles plus 2 singles that have already received 500K+ TikTok views, 50+ radio spins & national press coverage. Dropping on vinyl and all streaming services, this 4-track pop odyssey is a meticulously crafted labour of love that took Callum and an army of 27 collaborators – from international composers to legendary turntablists – 3 years to create. Born from lived-experiences, Callum’s lyrical themes share an immediately apparent sense of purpose at their core – to meaningfully improve as many lives as possible.
Land Transport – Delivering excellence in Transport and Storage, across this amazing country.
September 2026 will see multi-Platinum selling US duo MKTO touring Australia and New Zealand and as the countdown to the tour enters its final weeks, a very limited number of tickets remain for select shows across the board!
Goolwal Goolwal returns as part of BIGSOUND with an expanded program of First Nations excellence including a late-night set from ARIA winning act 3% and a free for the public set from legendary songman Uncle Joe Geia. Set to open BIGSOUND’s 25th celebrations, Goolwal Goolwal will officially welcome delegates from around the world including guests from Turtle Island (CAN), Aotearoa (NZ) and Chile to Fortitude Valley with a traditional Welcome to Country, ‘Gather and Graze’ and special Calling for Country ceremony for global First Nations guests.
Newcastle alternative punk outfit Dead Mall has unveiled a bold, heavy new sound on their latest single ‘Rats’; their first single since the release of their debut record ‘Superliminal’ last year. Dead Mall have been busy since the release of their album last year, touring up and down the east coast and working in the studio towards their next body of work. Mixed, recorded & produced by the band’s guitarist Darcy Long, along with mastering from Grammy award winning engineer Alan Douches (Converge, Misfits, Every Time I Die), ‘Rats’ is a left turn from the bands previous output in terms of production and songwriting.
For five decades, UB40 have pioneered and sustained their distinctive blueprint for Reggae music, that popularised the genre globally and has become the soundtrack to generations of music fans’ lives. Celebrating 50 years of music and entertainment, UB40 are highlighting this special milestone in Australia and New Zealand with ‘The Unstoppable Tour’ and hugely anticipated ‘Unstoppable’ album campaign. They will be joined by British soul/R&B icons Soul II Soul at all shows. This promises to be a night full of hits, nostalgia and dancing.
