Kapamilya actress Angel Locsin celebrated her 23rd birthday with 300 kids from the slums of Payatas in Quezon City.

Locsin, who plays the female lead role in the action-fantasy series “Lobo” on ABS-CBN, treated the kids to a McDonald’s party at the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Fairview on Sunday. GABRIELA, an organization that advocates women’s issues lauded Locsin for sharing her time with the kids.

The actress’ birthday is on the 23rd, but prior commitments compelled her to schedule her celebration in Payatas on the 20th. The gathering is supposed to be a surprise for the kids, who were informed that they were being invited to a children’s workshop.

Taiwanese heartthrob Wu Chun recently revealed on his blog his intentions to visit the Philippines.

He is happy that Hana Kimi has started airing and he is trying his best to convince his company to conduct promotional activities here in the Philippines. Though his initial attempt has failed, the 28-year-old singer-actor remains persistent to achieve his goal and very much determined to see his Filipino fans.

Teen housemate Linda Backlund whose father expressed his desire to spend the rest of his life with his estranged wife Ning-Ning and kids has decided to voluntarily exit the big brother house.

Daddy Hans (Linda’s father) only has a week here in the country before he flies back to Norway. The chances of Linda seeing her father again in the near future is quite impossible since he is merely depending on welfare from the Norwegian government due to an injury he sustained from work. As such, Big Brother’s generosity compelled him to offer Linda an all expense paid vacation for her whole family on the condition that she has to quit her stint at Pinoy Big Brother.

ABS-CBN Star Magic’s jewel and Pinoy Big Brother’s first Teen Big Winner Kim Chiu is now a lady.

Chiu will celebrate her 18th birthday on April 26 at The Glass Garden in Pasig with her family, special friends and guests.

Her debut will be aired on ABS-CBN’s special television show entitled “My Girl Turns 18″ on May 4, Sunday at 9:30 in the evening after Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Plus.

“Nakakatuwa noong sinabihan nila ako na mapapalabas ito sa TV, talagang hindi ako makapaniwala. Tapos ngayon hindi ako makapaniwala na debut ko na pala ang ipapalabas, nakakatuwa,” said Chiu.

“Ito ang unang unang modern debut na gagawin. Hindi ito yung old style debut na mga 18 roses ganyan, ito ay modern cotillion yung mangyayari,” she added.

Chiu said her first dance would be her father, while her last dance would be her on-screen partner Gerald Anderson. Anderson will also be her official escort for that special evening.

Some ABS-CBN stars invited to her special day are actors Jason Abalos, Matt Evans, Erich Gonzales and her former PBB Teen Edition housemates.

The teen actress said she will be wearing three beautiful gowns on her birthday designed by well-known fashion designer Francis Libiran.

After his controversial comeback, actor Gabby Concepcion is starting his life and new career in local showbiz. He is now preparing for his first television series on ABS-CBN entitled “Iisa Pa Lamang.”

The confirmation of the project was made by his newest talent manager Rose Flaminiano.

“Oo, kumpirmado na iyong television series at sa May 2, Friday ang first taping day namin at siguro mga last week of June ang airing ng series,” Flaminiano told abs-cbn news.

Flaminiano added that Concepcion will be working with the brightest stars of the Kapamilya network like Claudine Barretto, Diether Ocampo, Angelica Panganiban and the “Queen of Philippine Movies”, Susan Roces.

Flaminiano said Concepcion is very pleased with his new project. “He was amazed and this is his first television series. Nagkaroon na kami ng pag-uusap and he likes it very much. Maganda siya, maganda ang istorya.”

She said the series is an original story and not a remake of the 1992 movie starring Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta.

“Parang si Gabby ay mag-isang pag-ibig lang at may ibang may gusto sa kanya, doon iinog ang istorya. Yung song ay yun pa ding “Iisa Pa Lamang” na kinanta ni Joey Albert pero yung story ay hindi remake o base doon sa pelikula ni direk Jose Javier Reyes,” she said.

Flamiano said that for the series, Concepcion will be attending acting workshops and from May 2 onwards, the actor will be spending his Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays taping the series.

“Sa May 2 din ang airing ng kanyang “Maalaala Mo Kaya” at same day naman ay yung first taping nya for the television series… ang kakanta ng theme song ng series ay si Lani Misalucha,” she said.

Charice Pempengco’s first and most-awaited album will hit record stores as soon as the R n’ B child star finishes recording songs for the compilation.

Pempengco announced during a surprise guesting on dzMM’s celebrity show on Monday that she is just recording a few songs for the self-titled album before its release.

“I have an upcoming album, at last, first solo album. I’m just finishing it, and I will do a recording later,” the child star announced during the interview with Tita Cristy Fermin and Jobert Sucaldito.

Pempengco said the album will include two original songs titled “Born to Love You Forever” and “It Can Only Get Better” composed especially for her by Swedish song artists.

The album will also include a revival of Whitney Houston’s “And I’m Telling You,” which paved the way for the child singer’s international recognition through YouTube.com.

After guesting on Korea’s Star King, Pempengco was featured on the Ellen Degeneres Show and wowed U.S. viewers.

The hit guesting eventually gave Pempengco a chance to show her talent in London at the Paul O’Grady Show.

It was also announced during the radio show that ABS-CBN’s Star Records is cooking up a new singing adventure for the child singer.

Pempengco had no specific announcement about a concert, but the radio program’s hosts said Pempengco may hold one abroad.

The U.S. audience will soon see how their favorite game show “Deal or No Deal” is played in the Philippines, with Kris Aquino as co-host of Howie Mandel. The U.S. program will visit the Philippines from April 22 to 25. Mandel will tape the special episode as part of the show’s ongoing World Tour.

ABS-CBN Business Unit Head Alou Almaden said U.S. contestants will be playing the game according to the rules of the Philippine version, with the local Banker and the 26K girls.

“We are proud and excited that the Philippines has been chosen to be part of the show’s world tour,” she said.

“It will be an opportunity for us to show our creativity in localizing a global hit program and at the same time, showcase the best of our country in the special two-hour episode.”

Since its debut in the Netherlands in 2001, Endemol’s “Deal or No Deal” is now seen in more than 50 nations globally. In the U.S. version, contestants play and deal to win the top prize by opening 26 briefcases with prizes ranging from 1 cent to US$1M.

The Philippine version, which premiered in 2006, has been a big hit and a top-rater for ABS-CBN. Contestants likewise have to choose among 26 briefcases, held by the lovely 26K girls, with values ranging from P1 to P3M.

Aside from the Philippines, the U.S. version of “Deal or No Deal” will also be taping in Estonia and South Africa. As of press time, the people behind “Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal” at ABS-CBN are busy preparing for the special taping to ensure its success.

Filipino singing sensation Charice Pempengco will once again charm audiences in the US and the rest of the world with her upcoming performance in the highest-rating television talk show, “Oprah”.

“Mayroon po akong guesting sa Oprah. Tapos na po akong kumanta para sa isa pong episode ng Oprah,” Charice told abs-cbn news in a phone interview after returning from London where she appeared in a popular British talk show.

But other than confirming her appearance on “Oprah”, the young diva declined to give other details.

However, she disclosed that a teaser for the episode, which includes her, can be viewed on YouTube.

“Nasa YouTube na po yata iyong sa Oprah,” Charice said.

The episode will air in May.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and Beyonce Knowles married on Friday in New York, People magazine reported on its Web site, citing an unidentified friend of the couple.

The report quoted the friend as saying, “It happened earlier this evening. Jay wanted it to be a really private affair — close friends and family.”

Representatives for the couple were unavailable to confirm the report, which added that the ceremony was followed by a party at the rapper’s TriBeCa apartment.

Guests included Beyonce’s mother Tina Knowles, her father and manager Mathew, her sister Solange, Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, and friend Gwyneth Paltrow, it said.

The report followed widespread speculation that drew swarms of media to the street outside Jay-Z’s penthouse on Friday.

A parade of sport utility vehicles with tinted windows was seen coming and going from the garage late in the afternoon, one of them carrying two people dressed in chef’s uniforms carrying large, square, white boxes on their laps.

And men dressed in tuxedos were spotted on the roof of the building, where a white tent was erected.

People touched off the celebrity wedding watch this week when it reported the couple, who have been dating for several years, had taken out a wedding license in Scarsdale Village, New York, valid for 60 days.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton fanned the flames when he reported the wedding would take place on Friday, then followed up by posting the address of Jay-Z’s apartment as the location.

Matrimonial union between Jay-Z, 37, whose real name is Shawn Carter, and Beyonce, 26, also known by her full name Beyonce Knowles, would mark one of the highest-profile celebrity unions in recent years.

The two have been romantically linked since September 2002, and they performed together in music videos for two of her hit singles, “Crazy in Love” and “Deja Vu.”

Beyonce rose to fame as a member of the glittery R&B act Destiny’s Child but emerged as a superstar in her own right with her big-screen turn as Foxxy Cleopatra in the 2002 film comedy “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” The following year Beyonce scored a hit with her debut solo album, “Dangerously in Love,” collecting five Grammys along the way.

The Houston native earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2006 for her role as a Diana Ross-like character in “Dreamgirls,” a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit musical.

Her marriage to Jay-Z comes as the hip-hop artist and record executive is in talks with concert promoter Live Nation for a deal reported to be worth about $150 million, rivaling the biggest music contracts ever.

The onetime street hustler from Brooklyn ran the landmark rap label Def Jam Records as president for several years, but stepped down from that post in December.

Signing a two-year exclusive contract with GMA, Angelika dela Cruz is now very pleased with the way things are going with her career.

“I am happy, kita naman eh, at tsaka kahit ‘yung mga friends ko, kahit ‘yung mga nasa kabila nakikita nila na masaya ako, tinetext nila ako, ‘Napanood kita, you look happy.’ Lumilibot na nga ako eh, masarap din, marami na rin akong naiikot na shows,” says the excited Angelika right after she was declared winner in the coffee making challenge of Kung Ako Ikaw.

She has made numerous guestings on GMA shows, and started taping her new soap opera in February. Since then, the soap has aired and she has proven how good an actress she is in the Gilda Olvidado’s Babangon Ako at Dudurugin Kita.

She will be doing two soaps a year but she hopes that she will also get a chance to go back to her singing career while she is here on the Kapuso network.

“Kasi ‘yun naman talaga ang first love ko at saka after eight long years, natapos na ‘yung court case. Ngayon pwede na akong kumanta ulit.”