[Source: Reuters]

From strikes paralysing Hollywood to the Beatles releasing their last ever song, the world of entertainment provided many headlines this year.

Below are some of the biggest showbiz stories of 2023:

* Hollywood studios faced their first dual work stoppage in 63 years when writers and actors went on strike over higher compensation in the streaming TV era plus safeguards around the use of artificial intelligence, forcing them to halt many productions across the United States and abroad. Unions for both groups eventually reached agreements with major studios.

* The last Beatles song, featuring the voice of late member John Lennon and developed using artificial intelligence, was released.

* The Rolling Stones released “Hackney Diamonds”, their first album of original material since 2005 and the first recording since drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021.

* Madonna was forced to delay the start of her career-spanning tour after being hospitalized in intensive care for a serious bacterial infection.

* Britney Spears released her memoir in which she said she had an abortion to end a pregnancy by fellow pop star Justin Timberlake while the two were dating.

* Actors Kevin Spacey and Gwyneth Paltrow and singer Ed Sheeran were among the famous names taking the stand in high profile trials.

New Mexico prosecutors said they intend to recharge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021.