Lasting influence of legend Charles
Ray Charles, who has won a string of posthumous Grammy Awards, belonged to a pioneering generation of artists that had a huge influence on the course …
New media battle for Bafta awards
The BBC leads the nominations for the Bafta Interactive Awards, including one for the Radio Times website and one for Sport Interactive's Euro 2004 co…
Show over for MTV's The Osbournes
Rock star Ozzy Osbourne has said his family will not make any more episodes of reality TV show The Osbournes. "At the end of it I didn't like having c…
Hard act to follow for OutKast
US rap duo OutKast's trio of trophies at the MTV Europe Awards crowns a year of huge success for the band. The latest triumph adds to the three Grammy…
Smith loses US box office crown
New comedy Diary of a Mad Black Woman has ended Will Smith's reign at the top of the North American box office. Based on a play by Tyler Perry, who al…
Bangkok film festival battles on
Organisers of the third Bangkok International Film Festival have been determined to carry on with this year's event despite the ravages of the Asian t…
How the Academy Awards flourished
The 77th annual Academy Awards are taking place on 27 February with the stars of the movie-making world once again holding their breath to discover wh…
Fockers keeps US box office lead
Film comedy Meet The Fockers, sequel to Meet The Parents, has topped the US box office for a third week. The movie, which stars Ben Stiller, Robert De…
McCririck out of Big Brother show
Racing pundit John McCririck has become the latest contestant to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. He was nominated to leave the Channel 4 show b…
Arnold congratulated on Oscar win
Oscar-winner Andrea Arnold has been congratulated by the UK Film Council, the organisation which partly funded her project. Arnold's film Wasp won the…
Scissor Sisters triumph at Brits
US band Scissor Sisters led the winners at the UK music industry's Brit Awards, walking off with three prizes. The flamboyant act scored a hat-trick i…
Greer attacks 'bully' Big Brother
Germaine Greer has criticised Celebrity Big Brother's "bullying" of housemates after quitting the reality TV show. She said "superior" bullying tactic…
Eminem secret gig venue revealed
Rapper Eminem is to play an intimate gig in London on Saturday, following a show on the River Thames on Friday. The US star will play just two songs a…
Film star Fox behind theatre bid
Leading actor Edward Fox is one of the men behind plans to reopen a Swansea theatre thought to be Wales' oldest. The star of film and TV hits Day of t…
Berlin hails European cinema
Organisers say this year's Berlin Film Festival, which opens on Thursday with period epic Man to Man, will celebrate a revitalised European cinema. Of…
Arthur Hailey: King of the bestsellers
Novelist Arthur Hailey, who has died at the age of 84, was known for his bestselling page-turners exploring the inner workings of various industries, …
Singer's film to show at festival
A documentary which takes a candid look at the life of chart-topping singer George Michael will be shown at this year's Berlin Film Festival. A Differ…
UK debut for Kevin Spacey movie
Hollywood stars Kevin Spacey and Kate Bosworth attended the British premiere of new film, Beyond the Sea, in London's Leicester Square on Thursday. Sp…
Legendary music studio to close
The New York music studio where John Lennon spent his final hours is to close next month. The Hit Factory, which opened 37 years ago, has played host …
Douglas set for Indian adventure
Actor Michael Douglas is to co-produce and star in an adventure film about a diamond robbery set in India. The new picture is expected to be similar t…
Sky takes over Oscar night mantle
Sky has signed a major new deal to broadcast this year's Academy Awards, taking over from three years of live Oscar coverage on the BBC. Sky said it w…
Moreno debut makes Oscar mark
Catalina Sandino Moreno has joined a rare group of actresses who have been nominated for an Oscar for starring in a foreign language film. The Colombi…
Halloween writer Debra Hill dies
Screenwriter and producer Debra Hill, best known for her work on the 70s horror classic Halloween, has died in Los Angeles aged 54. Hill, who had been…
The Sound of Music is coming home
The original stage production of The Sound of Music is to be performed for the first time in the Austrian capital, 40 years after the film was release…
Neeson in bid to revive theatre
Hollywood film star Liam Neeson has held a dinner party in New York to promote Belfast's Lyric Theatre. The Ballymena-born actor said that the theatre…
Bookmakers back Aviator for Oscar
The Aviator has been tipped by UK bookmakers as the favourite to win the best film award at this year's Oscars. Ray star Jamie Foxx is clear favourite…
US critics laud comedy Sideways
Road trip comedy Sideways has had more praise heaped on it by two US critics' associations, adding to honours it has already picked up. The Chicago Fi…
Stars pay tribute to actor Davis
Hollywood stars including Spike Lee, Burt Reynolds and Oscar nominee Alan Alda have paid tribute to actor Ossie Davis at a funeral in New York. Vetera…
The Producers scoops stage awards
The Producers has beaten Mary Poppins in the battle of the blockbuster West End musicals at the Olivier Awards. The Producers won three prizes at the …
Uganda bans Vagina Monologues
Uganda's authorities have banned the play The Vagina Monologues, due to open in the capital, Kampala this weekend. The Ugandan Media Council said the …
Da Vinci film to star Tom Hanks
Actor Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard are reuniting for The Da Vinci Code, an adaptation of the international best-selling novel by Dan Brown. Distr…
Oscar host Rock to keep it clean
Oscar host Chris Rock said he will steer clear of bad language when he fronts the awards on 27 February. The comedian, who recently got into trouble f…
Michael film signals 'retirement'
Singer George Michael has said that a new film about his life is the start of a retirement from public view. The pop star said it would be a much more…
Oscar nominees gear up for lunch
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank are among those due to attend this year's Oscar nominees luncheon on Monday. They will join more than 1…
Sundance to honour foreign films
International films will be given the same prominence as US films at next year's Sundance Film Festival, with movies dominated by the theme of war. Th…
No UK premiere for Rings musical
The producers behind the Lord of the Rings musical have abandoned plans to premiere the show in London because no suitable theatre was available. The …
Celebrities get their skates on
Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne will join EastEnders' actress Scarlett Johnson on BBC One's Strictly Ice Dancing. The one-off Christmas speci…
Women in film 'are earning less'
Women in the UK film industry earn less than their male counterparts despite being better qualified, according to a study released on Wednesday. Only …
Mogul Wilson backing UK rap band
Tony Wilson, the music mogul who established the influential Factory Records in the 1980s, is to launch a new label - convinced he has discovered his …
Bennett play takes theatre prizes
The History Boys by Alan Bennett has been named best new play in the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. Set in a grammar school, the play also earned a b…
Vera Drake scoops film award
Oscar hopefuls Mike Leigh and Imelda Staunton were both winners at the 2004 Evening Standard British Film Awards. Vera Drake - Leigh's 1950s drama abo…
A-listers flock to Gervais sitcom
Hollywood actors Samuel L Jackson and Ben Stiller have signed up for Ricky Gervais' new sitcom, the comedian has told BBC News. He said they had both …
De Niro completes box office coup
Robert De Niro has completed a transatlantic box office double by topping the UK and US film charts with two different films at the same time. Comedy …
Hoffman hits out over modern film
Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman has hit out at the quality of current films and theatre productions. The star of Rain Man and Tootsie said the film cu…
Foxx and Swank take actors awards
Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank have won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for best male and female film actors, boosting their Oscars hopes this month. Foxx…
US box office set for record high
Ticket sales at the US box office are predicted to break records this year, with figures expected to reach $9.4 billion, beating 2002's all-time high.…
Adventure tale tops awards
Young book fans have voted Fergus Crane, a story about a boy who is taken on an adventure by a flying horse, the winner of two Smarties Book Prizes. P…
Foxx and Swank win US awards
Jamie Foxx and Hilary Swank have won the Screen Actors Guild Awards for best male and female film actors, boosting their Oscars hopes this month. Foxx…
Pop band Busted to 'take a break'
Chart-topping pop band Busted have confirmed that they plan to "take a break", following rumours that they were on the verge of splitting. A statement…
OutKast win at MTV Europe Awards
US hip-hop duo OutKast have capped a year of award glory with three prizes at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Rome. They won best group, best video and…
Church anger over Bollywood film
Roman Catholic organisations in India have demanded the withdrawal of a film that depicts a priest having an affair with a girl half his age. Indian t…
Keanu Reeves given Hollywood star
Actor Keanu Reeves, best known for his role in the Matrix movies, has been awarded a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. The 40-year-old a…
Van Gogh festival film withdrawn
Murdered director Theo van Gogh's controversial film Submission has been pulled from the Rotterdam Film Festival because of security fears. It was one…
German music in a 'zombie' state
The German music business - the third largest in the world - is "in the state of a zombie" because it has failed to respond to the challenge posed by …
Ethnic producers 'face barriers'
Minority ethnic led (Mel) production companies face barriers in succeeding in the film and television industries, research has suggested. The study, c…
US TV cuts nudity from BBC film
A US TV network is editing BBC Films' Dirty War to avoid showing the front of a nude woman being scrubbed down after a fictional chemical attack. It i…
Fox 'too reliant on reality TV'
The head of US TV network Fox has admitted the broadcaster had relied too heavily on reality TV shows such as the poor-rating Who's Your Daddy. Chief …
Deal to ban 'homophobic' reggae
The reggae industry is to refuse to release or stage concerts featuring homophobic songs under a global deal struck with gay rights groups. A damaging…
Redford's vision of Sundance
Despite sporting a corduroy cap pulled low over his face plus a pair of dark glasses, Robert Redford cuts an unmistakable figure through the star-stru…
Fockers fuel festive film chart
Comedy Meet The Fockers topped the festive box office in North America, setting a new record for Christmas Day. The sequel took $44.7m (£23.2m) betwee…
Fockers retain film chart crown
Comedy Meet The Fockers has held on to the number one spot at the North American box office for a second week. It took $42.8m (£23.7m) at the weekend,…
Fry set for role in Hitchhiker's
Actor Stephen Fry is joining the cast of the forthcoming film adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Fry will provide the voice of The Gu…
REM announce new Glasgow concert
US band REM have announced plans to perform for 10,000 Scottish fans in a rescheduled gig. The band will play in what has been dubbed Europe's biggest…
Wine comedy up for six film gongs
Sideways, a wine-tasting comedy starring Paul Giamatti, is up for six Independent Spirit Awards, the art-house version of the Oscars. The awards are h…
Levy takes Whitbread novel prize
Orange Prize winner Andrea Levy has seen her book Small Island win the Whitbread Novel of the Year Award. She is now favourite to win the overall priz…
Tautou 'to star in Da Vinci film'
French actress Audrey Tautou, star of hit film Amelie, will play the female lead in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, it has been reported. Th…
Berlin cheers for anti-Nazi film
A German movie about an anti-Nazi resistance heroine has drawn loud applause at Berlin Film Festival. Sophie Scholl - The Final Days portrays the fina…
Berlin applauds Hotel Rwanda
Political thriller Hotel Rwanda was given a rousing reception by spectators at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday. The movie's star Don Cheadle also…
No ads for Passion Oscar campaign
Producer Mel Gibson will not be using paid advertisements to promote The Passion of the Christ to voters in next year's Academy Awards. Gibson and his…
Rapper Kanye West's shrewd soul
US hip-hop star Kanye West - who leads the race for this year's Grammys with 10 nominations - rose to prominence by producing songs for artists such a…
DVD review: I, Robot
Only one man recognises that robots are a threat to humanity - but that's fine because it only takes one man to save the day in the thriller I, Robot.…
Children vote Shrek 2 best film
Young UK film fans voted animated Hollywood hit Shrek 2 best film at the children's Bafta awards on Sunday. More than 6,000 children voted in the only…
Ocean's Twelve raids box office
Ocean's Twelve, the crime caper sequel starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, has gone straight to number one in the US box office char…
Blair buys copies of new Band Aid
Prime Minister Tony Blair purchased two copies of the charity single Band Aid 20 in Edinburgh on Friday. Staff were surprised when the Prime Minister …
Film production 'falls' 40% in UK
The number of British films produced in the UK fell 40% in 2004, with movies starring Johnny Depp and Jude Law among those affected, Screen Daily has …
The comic book genius of Stan Lee
Stan Lee, the man responsible for a string of comic superheroes that have become household names, has won a court battle for a slice of the profits fr…
Church urges Nelly show boycott
Church ministers are trying to prevent rapper Nelly performing in Arkansas, saying they do not want his "vile and filthy lyrics" in their town. More t…
Director Nair's Vanity project
Indian film director Mira Nair has said she was thrilled to be given the chance to make William Makepeace Thackeray's novel Vanity Fair - as the book …
Films on war triumph at Sundance
A study of the United States at war in the past 50 years has picked up one of the main awards at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, in the US. W…
Cult band Kasabian surge forward
Indie dance band Kasabian built up a cult following throughout 2004 to secure three Brit Award nominations. The four-piece Leicester band blends dark …
DJ double act revamp chart show
DJ duo JK and Joel are taking over BBC Radio 1's flagship chart show on Sunday, adding showbiz news, celebrity interviews and between-song banter. The…
Lit Idol begins search for author
The second Pop Idol-style search for literary talent has begun with the help of the brother of Simon Cowell. Writer Tony Cowell is among the judges wh…
Dame Julie pops in to see Poppins
Mary Poppins star Dame Julie Andrews watched the hit stage version of her classic film at a charity performance in London's West End. It was the first…
Career honour for actor DiCaprio
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio's "exceptional career" has been honoured at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. The star was presented with the awa…
Dutch watch Van Gogh's last film
The last film to be made by the slain Dutch director Theo van Gogh, called 06/05, has been premiered in The Hague. Members of Van Gogh's family and ce…
Buffy creator joins Wonder Woman
The creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is to take on a new female superhero after signing up to write and direct the Wonder Woman movie. Joss Whedon …
Johnny Depp: The acting outlaw
Johnny Depp, whose latest role was Peter Pan creator JM Barrie in Finding Neverland, is celebrated as one of Hollywood's most maverick talents. Depp h…
France set for new Da Vinci novel
French booksellers are braced for a rush of interest after another book from the author of The Da Vinci Code is translated into French. Angels and Dem…
DVD review: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This third Harry Potter film brought a change of director and a dramatic visual shake-up that really shines on DVD. Gone are the warm, bright colours …
Film row over Pirates 'cannibals'
Plans to portray Dominica's Carib Indians as cannibals in the sequel to hit film Pirates of the Caribbean have been criticised by the group's chief. C…
DVD review: Spider-Man 2
It's a universal rule that a film can either be a superhero special effects extravaganza or it can be good. But Spider-Man 2 breaks that rule in two. …
Low-budget film wins Cesar
A film that follows a group of alienated youth in a Paris suburb as they prepare to perform an 18th Century play has won France's top cinema award. L'…
US actor Ossie Davis found dead
US actor Ossie Davis has been found dead at the age of 87. Davis, who was married to actress Ruby Dee, was found dead on Friday in his hotel room in M…
Byrds producer Melcher dies at 62
Record producer Terry Melcher, who was behind hits by the Byrds, Ry Cooder and the Beach Boys, has died aged 62. The son of actress Doris Day, he help…
Obituary: Dame Alicia Markova
Dame Alicia Markova, who has died in Bath aged 94, was the UK's first prima ballerina of the modern age, and, in her heyday, the greatest in the weste…
Tautou film tops Cesar prize nods
French film A Very Long Engagement has received 12 nominations for France's Cesar film awards, despite a recent ruling it was "not French enough". The…
Brando 'rejected Godfather role'
Late film star Marlon Brando is said to have repeatedly turned down his Oscar-winning role in The Godfather. The actor's friend Budd Schulberg told Va…
Willis sues over movie 'injury'
Actor Bruce Willis is suing Revolution Studios over an injury he said he suffered while making Tears of the Sun. Willis is seeking medical expenses af…
Snow Patrol bassist exits group
Snow Patrol had "no other course of action" but to ask their co-founder and bassist to leave the band, lead singer Gary Lightbody has said. Mark McCle…
Tough schedule delays Elliot show
Preview performances of the £3m musical Billy Elliot have been delayed to give the child actors a less arduous rehearsal schedule. Director Stephen Da…
Mutant book wins Guardian prize
A book about the evolution of mutants and the science of abnormality has won the Guardian First Book Award 2004. Armand Marie Leroi, a lecturer at Lon…
Sideways dominates Spirit awards
The comedy Sideways has dominated this year's Independent Spirit Awards, winning all six of the awards for which it was nominated. It was named best f…
'Landmark movies' of 2004 hailed
US film professionals have declared Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Passion of the Christ as two of the most significant cultural milestones of 2004. The Amer…
Spider-Man creator wins profits
Spider-Man creator Stan Lee is to get a multi-million dollar windfall after winning a court battle with comic book company Marvel. A judge has upheld …
Briton wins short film Oscar
Three of the five nominees in the live-action short film category at this year's Oscars were British. For Andrea Arnold, who won the category, Ashvin …
Rapper films music video in jail
A US rapper awaiting trial for murder has filmed part of a music video in jail, angering a sheriff who says he was tricked into letting TV crews in. C…
Music mogul Fuller sells company
Pop Idol supremo Simon Fuller has sold his 19 Entertainment company to an US entrepreneur in a $156m (£81.5m) deal. Robert Sillerman's Sports Entertai…
U2's desire to be number one
U2, who have won three prestigious Grammy Awards for their hit Vertigo, are stubbornly clinging to their status as one of the biggest bands in the wor…
Horror film heads US box office
A low-budget horror film produced by Evil Dead director Sam Raimi has topped the North American box office. Boogeyman, which focuses on a man who retu…
BBC to pour £9m into new comedy
The BBC is to invest £9m in developing new comedy and entertainment programmes outside London. The changes come as part of a shake-up of several depar…
Belle named 'best Scottish band'
Belle & Sebastian have been named the best Scottish band of all time after a three month-long public poll. The group beat Travis and Idlewild into sec…
Box office blow for Alexander
Director Oliver Stone's historical epic Alexander has failed in its bid to conquer the box office, entering the US film charts at number six. The swor…
Godzilla gets Hollywood fame star
Movie monster Godzilla has received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, honouring both his 50th birthday and the launch of his 28th film. An actor dre…
Russian film wins BBC world prize
Russian drama The Return (Vozvrashchenie) has been named winner of the BBC Four World Cinema Award. The film tells the story of two adolescent boys wh…
Super Size Me wins writers' award
Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock has won the Writers Guild of America's award for documentary feature writing. The Oscar-nominated film followed…
Jamelia's return to the top
R&B star Jamelia had three Brit nominations to go with her triple triumph at last year's Mobo awards. The Birmingham-born singer, full name Jamelia Da…
Prodigy join V Festival line-up
Essex act Prodigy are to headline the second stage at this year's V Festival, joining main stage headliners Scissor Sisters and Franz Ferdinand. The e…
Pupils to get anti-piracy lessons
Lessons on music piracy and copyright issues are to be taught to secondary school pupils in the UK. The lessons, aimed at 11 to 14-year-olds, will int…
Franz man seeks government help
Franz Ferdinand frontman Alex Kapranos has called for more government help for musicians, while taking part in an Edinburgh Lectures discussion. "For …
Band Aid 20 single storms to No 1
The new version of the Band Aid song Do They Know It's Christmas? has gone straight in at number one in the UK singles chart. The charity record is al…
Corbett attacks 'dumbed-down TV'
Ronnie Corbett has joined fellow comedy stars Victoria Wood and David Jason in attacking the declining standards of British television programmes. Spe…
De Niro film leads US box office
Film star Robert De Niro has returned to the top of the North American box office with his film Hide and Seek. The thriller shot straight to the numbe…
Brits debate over 'urban' music
Joss Stone, a 17-year-old soul singer from Devon, beat Dizzee Rascal, Jamelia, Lemar and The Streets to win best British urban act at the Brit Awards.…
Stallone evicted from Big Brother
Jackie Stallone, mother of actor Sylvester, has become the first star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. She and John McCririck faced the publi…
Howl helps boost Japan's cinemas
Japan's box office received a 3.8% boost last year, with ticket sales worth 211bn yen (£1.08bn). The surge was led by animated movie Howl's Moving Cas…
US 'afflicted' with awards fatigue
The film world and media may be wild about the Oscars but cinema-goers and the TV-viewing public are sick of watching award ceremonies, according to s…
Potter director signs Warner deal
Harry Potter director Alfonso Cuaron has signed a three-year deal with Hollywood studio Warner Brothers, according to Variety trade magazine. The Mexi…
TV station refuses adoption show
A TV station in the US has refused to show a controversial new series where adopted children try and pick their birth father - and win a cash prize. T…
Usher leads Soul Train shortlist
Chart-topping R&B star Usher is leading the field at this year's Soul Train Awards, with five nominations. The singer, whose album Confessions has sol…
Levy tipped for Whitbread prize
Novelist Andrea Levy is favourite to win the main Whitbread Prize book of the year award, after winning novel of the year with her book Small Island. …
Rock star sued by ex-girlfriend
Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars is being sued by his ex-girlfriend for $10 million (£5.4 million), claiming he broke a promise to take care of her. Th…
French honour for director Parker
British film director Sir Alan Parker has been made an officer in the Order of Arts and Letters, one of France's highest cultural honours. Sir Alan re…
Hundreds vie for best film Oscar
A total of 267 films are eligible for the best film Oscar but only five will be chosen to go forward as nominees. The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts …
Indie film nominations announced
Mike Leigh's award-winning abortion drama Vera Drake has scooped seven nominations at this year's British Independent Film Awards. But the Venice winn…
Ten-year tragedy of missing Manic
Richey Edwards, guitarist and lyricist for The Manic Street Preachers, vanished 10 years ago, on 1 February 1995. His disappearance remains one of the…
Aviator 'creator' in Oscars snub
The man who said he got Oscar-nominated movie The Aviator off the ground and signed up Leonardo DiCaprio has been shut out of the Academy Awards race.…
Hollywood ready for Oscars night
Hollywood is preparing for the biggest night in the film world's calendar, the 77th Academy Awards, on Sunday. A host of stars are expected to grace t…
Farrell due to make US TV debut
Actor Colin Farrell is to make his debut on US television in medical sitcom Scrubs, according to Hollywood newspaper Daily Variety. The film star, who…
Vera Drake's Bafta triumph hope
At the Bafta film awards on Saturday night, there is the prospect that a home-grown movie could walk off with a clutch of trophies. Vera Drake, Mike L…
Double eviction from Big Brother
Model Caprice and Holby City actor Jeremy Edwards have both left the Celebrity Big Brother house in a surprise double eviction on Friday. Caprice, who…
Surprise win for anti-Bush film
Michael Moore's anti-Bush documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 has won best film at the US People's Choice Awards, voted for by the US public. Mel Gibson's The…
Brit awards for Devon music acts
Devon singer Joss Stone and rock band Muse won coveted Brit awards during the event's 25th anniversary. Seventeen-year-old Stone, from near Cullumpton…
J-Lo and husband plan debut duet
Singers Jennifer Lopez and husband Marc Anthony, a Latin pop star, are to perform a duet at this month's Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. Anthony became …
Oscar nominees lack pulling power
This year's clutch of Oscar nominees have been the least popular for 20 years according to box office figures. In the US the five nominated for best f…
Vera Drake leads UK Oscar hopes
Mike Leigh's film Vera Drake will lead British hopes at this year's Academy Awards after getting three nominations. Imelda Staunton was nominated for …
Oscars race enters final furlong
The race for the Oscars entered its final stages as the deadline for voters to choose their winners passed. The 5,808 Academy voters had until Tuesday…
Kidman wins photographer battle
Actress Nicole Kidman has won a restraining order against two paparazzi photographers who she claims left her fearful of leaving her Sydney mansion. T…
Day-Lewis set for Berlin honour
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is to be presented with an award for his career in film at the Berlin Film Festival. The 47-year-old, whose credits include his…
Controversial film tops festival
A controversial film starring Hollywood actor Kevin Bacon as a convicted paedophile won top honours at the London Film Festival on Thursday. The Woods…
Triple triumph for Little Britain
Top TV cult hit Little Britain has triumphed over The Office at the 15th annual British Comedy Awards. The BBC show beat The Office Christmas Special …
Rock band U2 break ticket record
U2 have smashed Irish box office records with ticket sales for their Dublin concerts, after more than 150,000 were sold within 50 minutes. Tickets for…
Chris Evans back on the market
Broadcaster Chris Evans has begun selling thousands of his possessions from a stall in Camden Market, London. Evans perched on a stool as shoppers wan…
Bets off after Big Brother 'leak'
A bookmaker has stopped taking bets on Celebrity Big Brother after claiming "sensitive information" about the Channel 4 show had been leaked. William …
God cut from Dark Materials film
The director and screenwriter of the film adaptation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials is to remove references to God and the church in the movie…
Bollywood DVD fraudster is jailed
A major distributor of pirated DVDs of Bollywood films has been sent to prison for three years. Jayanti Amarishi Buhecha from Cambridge was found guil…
Spirit awards hail Sideways
The comedy Sideways has dominated this year's Independent Spirit Awards, winning all six of the awards for which it was nominated. It was named best f…
Bening makes awards breakthrough
Film actress Annette Bening is up for an Oscar for her starring role in the award-winning film Being Julia. Bening, who was born in Texas in 1958, has…
Hobbit picture 'four years away'
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson has said that it will be up to four years before he starts work on a film version of The Hobbit. The Oscar wi…
Hollywood hunts hits at Sundance
The Sundance Film Festival, the movie industry's top destination for uncovering the next independent hits and new talent, opens on Thursday. The event…
Veteran comic Cyril Fletcher dies
Veteran comedian and broadcaster Cyril Fletcher has died aged 91 at his home in Guernsey. Fletcher will be remembered for his "odd odes" and amusing m…
Robots march to US cinema summit
Animated movie Robots has opened at the top of the US and Canada box office chart, taking $36.5m (£19m) on its first weekend on release. Featuring the…
Fears raised over ballet future
Fewer children in the UK are following in the dainty footsteps of dancers like Darcey Bussell, and carving out potential careers as ballet dancers. Ne…
Roundabout continues nostalgia trip
The new big-screen version of The Magic Roundabout, released in the UK on Friday, is the latest attempt to turn children's television into box-office …
Grammys honour soul star Charles
The memory of soul legend Ray Charles dominated the music world's leading music ceremony on Sunday as he was given eight posthumous Grammy Awards. Cha…
Casino Royale is next Bond movie
Casino Royale, author Ian Fleming's first James Bond book, is to be the next Bond film, with Goldeneye director Martin Campbell behind the camera. It …
Hanks greeted at wintry premiere
Hollywood star Tom Hanks was in London's Leicester Square for the UK premiere of Polar Express. The West End landmark was turned into a festive landsc…
'Comeback' show for Friends star
Friends actress Lisa Kudrow is to play the lead role in a new series about a one-time sitcom star, according to the Hollywood reporter. Thirteen episo…
Row threatens Hendrix museum plan
Proposals to open a museum dedicated to Jimi Hendrix are flailing because of a row over the home of his late father. The run-down house in Seattle has…
Franz Ferdinand's art school lesson
Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand, who shot to prominence in 2004, have won two Brit Awards. With their self-titled debut, Franz Ferdinand have achie…
West End to honour finest shows
The West End is honouring its finest stars and shows at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in London on Monday. The Producers, starring Nathan Lane a…
Aviator wins top Globes accolades
The Aviator has been named best film at the Golden Globe Awards, with its star Leonardo DiCaprio named best actor. Hollywood veteran Clint Eastwood to…
Bafta to hand out movie honours
Movie stars from across the globe are attending this year's Bafta film award ceremony. British stars Imelda Staunton and Clive Owen are hoping for awa…
Gervais writing Simpsons episode
The Office's Ricky Gervais is writing an episode of hit US cartoon The Simpsons, following an invitation from its creator Matt Groening. Gervais has a…
Top stars join US tsunami TV show
Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro and Hugh Grant have been added to the line-up for a two-hour US TV special to raise money for victims of the Asian tsunami. …
UK Directors Guild nominees named
Martin Scorsese and Clint Eastwood are among the nominees for the top prize at the Directors Guild of Great Britain awards, now in their second year. …
Joy Division story to become film
The life of late Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is to be made into a film, it has been announced. The Manchester-based production is called Touching F…
British stars denied major Oscars
British hopes of winning major Oscars were dashed as UK stars failed to win acting and directing prizes. Despite three nominations, Mike Leigh's Vera …
Jackson film 'absolute disaster'
A PR expert has told the Michael Jackson child abuse trial that the TV documentary at the heart of the case was an "absolute disaster". Ann Kite told …
Bollywood draws global stars
British actress Antonia Bernath is making her debut in Kisna - the Warrior Poet, marking a growing trend for non-Indian stars to appear in Bollywood f…
Mumbai bombs movie postponed
The release of a film about the Mumbai (Bombay) blasts in 1993 has been postponed following protests by those on trial for the bombings. Investigating…
India to deport Bollywood actress
India has ordered the deportation of Iranian-born model and actress Negar Khan to Norway after saying she was working illegally on her visa. Khan has …
Famed music director Viotti dies
Conductor Marcello Viotti, director of Venice's famous La Fenice Theatre, has died in Germany at 50. Viotti, director of La Fenice since 2002, conduct…
Stars gear up for Bafta ceremony
Film stars from across the globe are preparing to walk the red carpet at this year's Bafta award ceremony. The 2005 Orange British Academy Film Awards…
Music man to the Oscars
Bill Conti's job of musical director of the Oscars show is not for the faint-hearted since conducting the orchestra is the ultimate plate-spinning ass…
Actor Scott is new Bond favourite
Bookmaker William Hill has stopped taking bets on who will be the next James Bond, following a succession of large wagers on actor Dougray Scott. The …
Baby becomes new Oscar favourite
Clint Eastwood's boxing drama Million Dollar Baby has become the new favourite to win best picture at the Oscars on Sunday. According to pundits, the …
Baghdad Blogger on big screen
A film based on the internet musings of the "Baghdad Blogger" has been shown at the Rotterdam Film Festival. The film has been directed by the man who…
Day-Lewis set for Berlin honour
Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is to be presented with an award for his career in film at the Berlin Film Festival. The 47-year-old, whose credits include his…
Da Vinci Code is 'lousy history'
The plot of an international bestseller that thousands of readers are likely to receive as a Christmas present is 'laughable', a clergyman has said. T…
South Bank Awards honour hit soap
Coronation Street has become the first soap to triumph at the South Bank Show Awards, which traditionally reward highbrow and groundbreaking culture. …
US TV special for tsunami relief
A US television network will screen a celebrity TV special to benefit the tsunami relief effort in South Asia. NBC will encourage viewer donations dur…
Berlin celebrates European cinema
Organisers say this year's Berlin Film Festival, which opens on Thursday with period epic Man to Man, will celebrate a revitalised European cinema. Of…
Eastwood's Baby scoops top Oscars
Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby beat Martin Scorsese's The Aviator to the top awards at the Oscars on Sunday. The boxing drama was named best pic…
Little Britain vies for TV trophy
BBC hits Little Britain and Strictly Come Dancing are among numerous British shows nominated for the prestigious Golden Rose television awards. Homegr…
Spector facing more legal action
Music producer Phil Spector is facing legal action from the mother of the actress he has been accused of killing. Donna Clarkson, whose daughter Lana …
Lopez misses UK charity premiere
Jennifer Lopez cancelled an appearance at the UK charity premiere of her new movie saying she was too ill to fly. The actress and singer dropped out a…
Versace art portfolio up for sale
The art collection of murdered fashion designer Gianni Versace could fetch up to £9m ($17m) when it is auctioned in New York and London later this yea…
Fantasy book wins Hollywood deal
A British author has had the film rights to her children's bestseller snapped up for a seven-figure sum, with Ridley Scott set to direct. Michelle Pav…
Volcano drama erupts on BBC One
Supervolcano, a docu-drama about a volcanic eruption in Yellowstone National Park in the US, is among the highlights on the BBC One this winter. The £…
Jugnot 'tops French actor league'
Actor Gerard Jugnot - star of the Oscar-nominated film The Chorus - has beaten Gerard Depardieu to become France's best-paid actor of 2004. Jugnot mad…
Oscars steer clear of controversy
The Oscars nominations list has left out some of the most controversial films of the past year in favour of safer, less contentious cinema. If best fi…
Original Exorcist to be screened
The original version of horror prequel Exorcist: The Beginning, dropped by producers over claims it was not scary enough, is to have its world premier…
US TV host Clark suffers stroke
Veteran US television host Dick Clark is in hospital in Los Angeles after suffering a mild stroke. The 75-year-old presented long-running show America…
Critics back Aviator for Oscars
Martin Scorsese's The Aviator will win best film at the Oscars, according to the UK's leading movie critics. But several of those surveyed by the BBC …
Aviator and Vera take Bafta glory
Hollywood blockbuster The Aviator and low-budget British movie Vera Drake have shared the main honours at the 2005 Bafta film awards. The Aviator was …
Lee to create new film superhero
Comic book veteran Stan Lee is to team up with producer Robert Evans to create a movie featuring a new superhero. Foreverman will focus on a character…
Carry On star Patsy Rowlands dies
Actress Patsy Rowlands, known to millions for her roles in the Carry On films, has died at the age of 71. Rowlands starred in nine of the popular Carr…
Stars shine on Bafta red carpet
Hollywood stars brought a touch of glamour to London on Saturday for the biggest night in the British film calendar. Cate Blanchett, Leonardo DiCaprio…
Spears seeks aborted tour payment
Singer Britney Spears is suing eight insurance companies that have refused to reimburse her for cancelling her 2004 world tour. The pop star cancelled…
UK's National Gallery in the pink
The National Gallery, home to some of the UK's greatest artworks, has seen a big jump in visitor numbers. Five million visitors made the London galler…