Kate Winslet and her children were vacationing on Sir Richard Branson‘s private island when a fire broke out.

The 35 year-old actress and her daughter Mia, 10 and son Joe, 7 were among the guests staying at the Virgin Group mogul’s exclusive resort when the flames began.

Branson said that Winslet helped his 90 year-old mother get to safety as well.

“My mum is 90 and can walk, but it was more just to speed the process up than anything else. But anyway, she was great. She swept her up into her arms and got them out of the house as fast as possible,” Branson told The Telegraph.

Everyone was able to get out safe, including Branson’s mother Eve, daughter Holly Branson and about 20 more family members.

Branson also noted that he lost thousands of personal photographs and notebooks. He also said that while there is extensive damage, he wants to rebuild “something even better” and be able to keep the staff employed.

The cause of the blaze is believed to have been started by a lightning strike from Hurricane Irene.

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Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are adding to their family. She is pregnant with the couple’s third child.

Affleck, 39, and Garner, also 39, married in 2005 and have two daughters; Violet, 5, and 2 year-old Seraphina.

The couple’s representatives said they are “thrilled” with the news.

Garner said juggling two demanding careers with raising a young family has is difficulties but they manage to find a way and make it work.

“We figure it out day by day,” she said. “It’s always messy and it’s never as glamorous as people think it is, but we get through and as long as the kids are happy it’s all good.”

Garner and Affleck starred in the 2003 flick Daredevil together.

[image: WENN]

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Last year fan favorite Tina Fey returned to Saturday Night Live as host, this year the show is getting another popular alum: Jimmy Fallon.

“I’ve never forgotten where I came from,” the “Late Night” host said in a press release. “That’s why I’m so incredibly honored to be hosting the ‘Saturday Night Times’ program Dec. 17th on HGTV.”

Fallon was a member of the SNL cast for six years from 1998 – 2004. Fey, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Tracey Morgan and Maya Rudolph were just some of the regular cast during Fallon’s time.

Fallon tweeted about his return: “I’m incredibly honored to be heading back to 8H where it all started. And by ‘it’ I mean Will Ferrell’s awesome movie career.”

Fallon’s SNL return is December 17th with musical guest Michael Bublé.

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Happy Birthday to everyone celebrating today, August 23rd, including:

1934 – Barbara Eden, actress
1943 – Nelson DeMille, author
1949 – Shelley Long, actress
1949 – Rick Springfield, musician
1970 – Jay Mohr, actor
1974 – Seth ‘Shifty Shellshock’ Binzer, musician
1976 – Scott Caan, actor
1978 – Kobe Bryant, basketball pro
1979 – Edgar Sosa, boxer

Also born today but no longer with us dancer Gene Kelly, actor Robert Mulligan and actor River Phoenix.

[images: Nikki Nelson/WENN]

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Jennifer Love Hewitt looked pretty ding-danged incredible at the 2011 Angel Awards this weekend.  Don’t get me wrong – I think she’s very pretty – but her look doesn’t always do it for me.  In this instance, though?  I can begin to see why men flip the heck out over her.  I love her entire look – the metallics on white are perfect for a summer evening event.

More gorgeous photos of JLove after the jump.

(Read the article)

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Hilary Duff is out of The Story of Bonnie and Clyde remake because she’s pregnant, according to rumors floated today but is that really true? Well, sort of. It’s because she isn’t available to start shooting by the end of the year.

The 23 year-old and her husband, hockey pro Mike Comrie, announced just last week that they are starting family and Hilary is expecting.

According to producers, they were told the actress would not be available until June of 2012. Duff’s costar, Kevin Zegers, now also has commitments and will not be able to film before January of 2012.

“While production has been pushed several times due to financial, scheduling and other factors such as tornadoes devastating some of our locations, we are currently gearing up to start production later this year,” the producers told EW.

“Unfortunately we now faced with scheduling conflicts with our leads Hilary Duff and Kevin Zegers. We were told that Duff would not be available until June 2012 and that Zegers would not be available until January of the new year.”

“Due to our obligations with investors and international buyers it is imperative that we stick to our current schedule. Therefore we are forced to explore other options for the two lead roles. Unfortunately this happens all the time in the world of filmmaking.”

So both lead actors have told producers they won’t be able to shoot and casting begins again.

Who would you cast?

[image: WENN]

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Had enough Kim Kardashian-Kris Humphries wedding buzz yet?  You better get used to it:  E! is going to drag this one out for the next two months or so until they air Kim’s wedding special.

To whet your appetite, they’ve released a short clip with some highlights from the event.   You can get a glimpse of Kim’s wedding gown as well as her mom Kris Jenner‘s mother of the bride dress, the rather tacky (in my opinion) altar, and the looooong aisle.  My favorite part?  Kim’s nephew, Mason Disick, serving as the ring bearer.  He’s just too cute!

Check it out!

Video Source:  E!

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Kim Kardashian‘s nuptials has one thing similar to Kate Middleton‘s royal wedding – they each had a little of their fashion thunder stolen on their big day.

Kate’s younger sister and bridesmaid Pippa Middleton, got noticed for the peacock green Temperley London dress with plunging neckline, gathered and embellished at the waist.

Kim’s wedding guest, Lindsay Lohan, chose the same fancy frock in white (Kardashian asked guests to wear white or black for the ceremony.)

There’s a couple more differences: Pippa wore her hair pulled back in the front but down in the back, Lindsay kept her bangs down and had the rest of her hair swept back in an updo.

My fellow BSC writer gossipmonkey and I agree: P Middy looked her age – mid 20s. LiLo somehow manages to look older than her mom…

One dress, two very different outcomes.

Who’s your fashion winner?

[images: E!/WENN]

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Kim Kardashian wasn’t the only celebrity getting hitched this past Saturday.  Country singer and songwriter Chely Wright married her partner Lauren Blitzer in Connecticut.

Chely shocked many when she came out of the closet to People last year.   In the wake of all the hubub, she met Lauren, and they’ve been together for just over a year.  She said:

“The freedom of being out and open about who I am allowed me to find and fall in love with Lauren – the most amazing woman I’ve ever known.”

For their nuptials, the couple both opted for long, white, strapless dresses.   Reflecting their different religious backgrounds, Chely and Lauren were married by both a minister and a rabbi.

Despite death threats, plummeting album sales and being shunned by much of the country music community,  Chely has continued performing.  She has written a memoir, Like Me, recounting her life as a closeted lesbian.  She also founded an organization, also called Like Me, that supports LGBT individuals, their families and friends.

Congratulations Chely and Lauren!

Photo Source:  Twitter

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Who would take the creative helm at Dior has been up in the air since John Galliano was fired in March after video surfaced of the designer on a drunken rant filled with anti-Semitic remarks but one name is emerging as a strong front runner.

Marc Jacobs, who’s contract at Louis Vuitton is set to expire soon, is reportedly in serious talks to take over the brand. This isn’t the first time Jacobs’ name has been tossed about for this post. In the 90s, he was up for the job to succeed Gianfranco Ferré but he lost out to Galliano.

“One source cautioned that a deal with Jacobs is not assured, but that the American designer and Dior management are so far “excited” about the prospect,” WWD is reporting.

“Meetings are scheduled to take place in Paris this week between Dior officials and legal representatives for Jacobs, who is currently in New York preparing for his signature fashion show there,” the source told the publication.

If Jacobs were to leave his current design house, Céline’s Pheobe Philo may be making the jump to Vuitton’s offices.

Givenchy‘s Riccardo Tisci is still considered a contender but many have either turned it down or been passed over by LVMH (the parent company of Dior and Vuitton.)

Haider Ackerman and Hedi Slimane did not get offers but were courted and both Lanvin‘s Alber Elbaz and Balenciaga’s Nicolas Ghesquière did not want to leave their current positions.

Alexander McQueen‘s designer (and Kate Middleton‘s wedding dress designer) Sarah Burton “is said to have rebuffed overtures.”

Galliano’s successor Bill Gaytten is unlikely to get the job after he received negative reviews for his Fall Couture show.

[images: Frank Altman/WENN]

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