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In the year since three members of her family were killed in Chicago, Grammy and Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson has found ways to heal and start a new life.

Now, it appears the 28-year-old is happy again.

The actress and singer has gushed over her role as a new mother. She's started going out again, and she's poured herself into her work.

Hudson is set to return to Chicago next month to film an ABC prime-time special in which she'll share memories of her childhood Christmases in her old neighbourhood and the church where she started singing.

Us Weekly magazine editor Ian Drew says Hudson's way of grieving has been to focus on work.

In October last year her mother, brother and nephew were found shot to death in Chicago.

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Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Colin Egglesfield are moving out of Melrose Place.

Their characters will make a final appearance on the CW drama in January.

Heather Locklear, who starred as Amanda in the 1990s Melrose Place, is joining the new edition starting with the Nov. 17 episode.

Simpson-Wentz's Violet and Egglesfield's Auggie have been part of the murder mystery involving Sydney (Laura Leighton), whose death kicked off the season and who's been seen in flashbacks.

Original cast member Thomas Calabro also co-stars.

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Celebrity Birthdays:

* Actress Shelley Morrison (Will and Grace) is 73.

* Actor Bob Hoskins is 67.

* Author Pat Conroy is 64.

* "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak is 63.

* U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is 62.

* Actress Jaclyn Smith (Charlie's Angels) is 62.

* Musician Bootsy Collins is 58.

* Singer Maggie Roche of The Roches is 58.

* Actor James Pickens Jr. (Grey's Anatomy) is 57.

* Guitarist Keith Strickland of The B-52's is 56.

* Actress Rita Wilson is 53.

* Actor Dylan McDermott (The Practice) is 48.

* Actor Cary Elwes is 47.

* Singer Natalie

Merchant is 46.

* Country singer Keith Urban is 42.

* Actor Tom Cavanagh (Ed) is 41.

* Writer-actor Seth McFarlane (Family Guy) is 36.

* Canadian Olympic speedskater Jeremy Wotherspoon is 33.

* Actor Jon Heder (Blades of Glory, Napoleon Dynamite) is 32.

* Singer Mark Barry of BBMak is 31.