People News Roundup: Actor Depp appears in UK court; Meghan seeks to stop tabloid naming friends in UK legal battle and more

Depp is suing the publisher of Britain's Sun tabloid, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an article in which he labelled the actor a "wife beater", based on allegations from his former wife, actress Amber Heard.

Following is a summary of current people news briefs.

David Attenborough in appeal to save charity behind London Zoo

Veteran broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough has appealed for donations to save the conservation charity behind two leading British zoos, London and Whipsnade, which has been hammered financially by the coronavirus pandemic. The short video clip, which will air on British television on Thursday, draws attention to the scientific work of the Zoological Society of London and features images of animals both in the two zoos and their native habitats.

Actor Depp denies attacking ex-wife during detox on private island

Actor Johnny Depp denied attacking his ex-wife while undergoing detox to ease himself off prescription drugs on his private island in the Bahamas, London's High Court heard on Thursday. Depp is suing the publisher of Britain's Sun tabloid, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an article in which he labelled the actor a "wife beater", based on allegations from his former wife, actress Amber Heard.

Meghan seeks to stop tabloid naming friends in UK legal battle

Meghan, Britain's Duchess of Sussex, on Thursday sought a court order to stop the publisher of the Mail on Sunday tabloid from publicising the names of five friends who could be witnesses in an ongoing legal dispute, according to a court filing. Meghan, wife of Queen Elizabeth's grandson Prince Harry, is suing publisher Associated Newspapers over articles the Mail on Sunday printed last year which included parts of a handwritten letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle, in August 2018.

Actor Depp appears in UK court, rejects ex-wife's abuse claims

Hollywood star Johnny Depp accused his ex-wife Amber Heard of lying about him beating her up, and told London's High Court on Tuesday that she had actually struck him. Depp, the 57-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing The Sun's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, for libel over an article Wootton wrote in April 2018 calling him a "wife beater".

(With inputs from agencies.)