Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike film invaded by ‘salivating’ superfans as bosses are forced to bring in tough security team
IT’S a huge hit with lust-fuelled fans but things are now so heated on the new Magic Mike film set that bosses have ramped up security to keep stripper-mad fanatics at bay.
Hunky leading man Channing Tatum has begun work on the latest instalment in the franchise, which follows a troupe of male exotic dancers.
But in a move that wouldn’t look out of place in the movie, producers were forced to take drastic action to keep a horde of middle-aged women at bay after preparations in London for the new movie, Last Dance, were disrupted by the salivating admirers.
Scenes are being rehearsed at a dance studio but details of the production schedule were leaked on a WhatsApp group of obsessed women, who immediately descended on the location and made it clear they would go to ANY lengths to see the actors in a state of oiled-up undress.
Insiders say bosses initially laughed off the harmless intrusions, but are now finding their appearances “disruptive”.
A film source tells me: “It starts as a bit of fun and it’s great that the fans are so engaged. They’re just passionate — and plainly sex-starved! But after a while it has become problematic and there are now a lot of fans trying to get hold of the guys pretty much everywhere they go.
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“The security team are concerned about what they might be prepared to do just to get their hands on them.
“Obviously the previous films have had a huge impact but also left this legion of horny middle-aged women, who are making it their business to know the guys’ every move and follow them all over the place.
“Sadly the only option has been to move things around and take security precautions, by bringing in some proper heavies to make sure nobody gets hurt.”
Magic Mike has been one of the most successful commercial franchises of recent years, worldwide taking almost £130million at the box office for the first film and even spawning a live stage show spin-off.
The latest instalment also features Line Of Duty villain Thandiwe Newton.
The trilogy has propelled Channing to superstardom, making him one of the best-paid actors in the world and earning him an even bigger army of admirers.
He actually started his career in showbiz as a real-life stripper in Florida . . . so he should be well used to dealing with the attention by now.
Busy Katy's silver wear
KATY Perry may have been dressed in silver when she returned as a judge on American Idol – but I think her look was pure gold.
The When I’m Gone hitmaker showed her Roar power as she posed backstage at the hit US TV singing contest this week.
Busy Katy is also in the middle of a Las Vegas residency and finishing her sixth album.
Last week she dropped a surprise track with country star Thomas Rhett, and I told this week how she is planning to hit the studio with Dua Lipa.
They are big fans of each other, with Katy attending Dua’s Future Nostalgia show in California last month.
Kourt not wed yet
AFTER seeing Kourtney Kardashian and in countless snogging sessions in front of the media, the old cynic in me thought they’d be just a flash-in-the-pan fling.
So you can imagine my surprise when reports claimed they had tied the knot in Las Vegas.
But it turns out the post-Grammys ceremony was just a bit of fun. Clark County records confirm the couple opted not to apply for marriage licenses or certificates.
The pair’s own photographer and security watched the celebrations as an Elvis impersonator officiated the wedding. The King may be dead and seemingly romance is too.
Hot! With all Dua respect
DUA Lipa looked Hotter Than Hell as she posed in this PVC catsuit ahead of the rescheduled European leg of her Future Nostalgia tour.
The British superstar landed back in the UK yesterday after being on the road in the US.
She will kick off her ten dates here at Manchester’s AO Arena on Friday,
April 15, and will also take in Birmingham and Leeds before wrapping up with two back-to-back dates at London’s O2 Arena starting on May 2.
Fans are in for a treat if her US shows have been anything to go by – with Dua belting out some of her biggest hits and killer choreography on the side.
While on the road she has also been busy working on the follow-up to second album Future Nostalgia, which hit the No1 spot after its release in March 2020. Dua said of her upcoming record: “It’s starting to take shape and come good. I’m very excited about some of the new songs.”
As am I.
Brits 'cult' hell
BRITNEY Spears has finally found her voice – and is not afraid to use it.
The superstar has confirmed rumours she is in the process of writing a biography and is ready to lift the lid on her turbulent career in the spotlight.
Teasing the release, Britney likened the 13 years she spent locked in a conservatorship – when her life was managed by her father Jamie – to being inside a cult.
The Toxic hitmaker wrote: “I’m writing a book at the moment and it’s healing and therapeutic . . . It’s also hard bringing up past events in my life I’ve never been able to express openly.
"As I got older the head powers in my conservatorship were unbelievable. The security, the management and mainly my father, who was never available, all felt like a cult. I see now the greed and envy of men and the damage people of power can do.”
Britney’s book deal is understood to be one of the most lucrative in history, with publishers offering $15million for the rights.
These days it seems as if every man and his dog are releasing an autobiography, but Britney’s offering can’t come soon enough.
Lohan behold
SHE was the Hollywood child star who turned into a tearaway, but I’m pleased to report that Lindsay Lohan has landed a bumper new deal with Amazon Prime Video.
The unlucky-in-love actress will provide the voiceover for new dating series Lovestruck High.
The show will see 15 British singletons joining the preened and preppy world of an American high school to try to find love among their classmates.
The last thing we need is yet another dating show but it’s good to see Lindsay returning.
Hopefully she will be back on the big screen in the not too distant future.
Backstreet's back for one night
BACKSTREET’S back . . . for one night at least. The iconic 90s boyband have announced their DNA World Tour, which includes a stop at London’s O2 Arena.
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AJ McLean, Kevin Richardson, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell will play the 20,000 capacity venue on November 6.
While only one UK show is planned, fans can follow the lads on the road thanks to their new YouTube docu-series, imaginatively titled Making of the DNA Tour.