Billboard Bits serves up the best bite-sized nuggets of music news and gossip.
Justin Timberlake To Host “Saturday Night Live” Season Finale
After Tina Fey returns to “Saturday Night Live” to host the May 7 episode, “SNL” all-star host Justin Timberlake will return to host the variety show’s season finale. The stint will be the pop star/actor’s fourth time as the “SNL” host. Lady Gaga has been tapped as the season finale’s musical guest. ( EW)
Longtime Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing has exited the metal band and will not be joining them on their upcoming tour, according to a press release. 31-year-old British guitarist Richie Faulkner will serve as a replacement for the tour. Judas Priest are expecting to release a new album next year.
Demi Lovato Has Bipolar Disorder
Teen singer/actress Demi Lovato has admitted that she has been struggling bipolar disorder along with anorexia, bulimia and cutting. “I never found out until I went into treatment that I was bipolar,” says Lovato, who underwent therapy at a treatment center for three months earlier this year. Yesterday (Apr. 19), Lovato confirmed that she was leaving her starring role on “Sonny with a Chance.” ( People)
In the latest issue of InStyle, actress Kate Hudson talks about expecting a baby with Muse‘s Matthew Bellamy and falling in love with the British rocker. “I love that Matthew knows how to express himself. He shows his love. He communicates,” says Hudson. (The Huffington Post)
Nominations for the U.K’s 56th Ivor Novello Awards were announced yesterday with Manchester-based indie band Everything Everything and London rapper/singer-songwriter Plan B leading the way with more than two nominations each, despite the former not having had a Top 40 single. Everything Everything are up for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for “MY, KZ, UR BF” (Universal Music Publishing) and Album Award for Man Alive (Universal Music Publishing). (Full story at Billboard.biz)
(Reporting by Jason Lipshutz and Hazel Davis, Manchester)