The latest news on today's hottest celebrities ...
RICHARD HATCH: Richard Hatch has been released from a Rhode Island prison after serving nine months for a probation violation, officials said.
Hatch is famous for competing on the TV reality shows "Survivor" and "Celebrity Apprentice."
He went to prison in 2006 for tax evasion and was released in 2009. However, he was sent back to prison in March after he failed to comply with the terms of his release by not settling his outstanding tax bills.
E! News reported he was released from a prison in Cranston, R.I., Monday afternoon.
JUSTIN BIEBER: Canadian recording star Justin Bieber announced Monday his plans to tape a 30-minute Christmas special for MuchMusic and CTV in Toronto.
"MuchMusic Presents Justin Bieber: Home for the Holidays" is to premiere Dec. 22.
The special will be taped at a Toronto concert; however, details regarding the date and location of the show have not yet been announced. All proceeds from the concert will benefit Bieber's "Believe" charity drive.
The 17-year-old pop singer is expected to perform his hits "Mistletoe" and "Baby," as well as covers of some of his favorite pop songs and Christmas classics.
"The holidays are a very special time of the year for me and I'm looking forward to coming home and ringing them in with my friends and family," Bieber said in a statement. "And this year will be extra special, as I'll be sharing the spirit of the season with the whole of Canada with my TV special, 'Home for the Holidays' on MuchMusic and CTV."
STEVEN SPIELBERG: Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg says Peter Jackson will direct the next installment in their Tintin franchise.
Spielberg directed the performance-capture 3D movie "The Adventures of Tintin," and produced it along with Jackson. However, Spielberg said Jackson will take over the director's chair for the second Tintin movie.
Inspired by a popular comic-book series by Belgian author-artist Herge, the animated films are about an intrepid young reporter solving mysteries in the 1930s.
"Billy Elliott" star Jamie Bell lends his voice to the titular journalist, while "Hot Fuzz" co-stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost play bumbling Scotland Yard detectives Thomson and Thompson. The voice cast also includes frequent Jackson collaborator Andy Serkis, as well as current James Bond portrayer Daniel Craig.
"The Thompson Twins have a much bigger role in the next Tintin movie that Peter Jackson is going to direct. It's being written right now and he's directing it after he does 'The Hobbit' and I'll produce it with him as he's produced this with me," Spielberg told reporters at a press conference in New York Sunday. "We have the story and we have the book we're adapting from Herge and we can't wait to get started."
Jackson previously mastered the art of performance-capture technology with his "Lord of the Rings" and "King Kong" movies. The technique is created by a team of artists who recreate the movements and facial expressions of live actors in animation. It allows filmmakers to make animals and mythical creatures look human, or human characters to be placed in extraordinary situations that are too costly or dangerous to film in real life.
"The Adventures of Tintin" was released this fall in Europe and has earned more than $200 million at the box office. It is set for U.S. release Dec. 21.
'MONGRELS:' BBC Worldwide America said Monday the first two seasons of its British puppet comedy series "Mongrels" are now available on America's Hulu Web site.
"This series is a multi-layered, bold comedy with cutting-edge appeal -- a perfect fit for Hulu's audience," Beth Clearfield, senior vice president of digital distribution and business development for BBC Worldwide Americas, said in a statement.
The producers describe "Mongrels" as "definitely not one for the kids, though adults may find it scarily familiar."
"Join Nelson the metrosexual fox, Destiny the pampered pooch, Marion the slow-brained former housecat, Kali the sarcastic pigeon, and Vince the most ferocious fox in town, as they negotiate life and love in the back alleys of the urban jungle," a synopsis said. "They may be furry, they may be feathered, they may be feral, but scratch their hairy surfaces and you'll find five mixed-up animal urban singles struggling with everyday emotional truths about life, love, sex, aspirations, and shattered dreams."
