A Banksy poster that was censored for use on the Tube has been restored by an unidentified graffiti artist.

Transport for London (TfL) banned the halo dripping with paint on Banksy’s artwork promoting his film Forgive Us Our Trespassing.

The poster was reworked and displayed without the offending drips.

But within days of it going up at London Bridge Tube on 11 March, the golden circle over the kneeling boy’s head was repainted.

The artwork has now been removed by Tube advertising bosses who said it was "defaced".

‘Massive fan’

Benjamin Moore from Art Below, the team behind the poster, part of a programme of art on the Underground, said he did not know who had amended the work but there was a chance it was the artist himself.

"It is either Banksy or one of his people. Or it could be a massive fan who wants the artwork to remain how it originally was," he said.

"In the past he wrote to us and told us there are too many rules and regulations on the Tube."

The work was originally designed as a free poster to go with a promotional pack of flyers produced for students regularly by organisation Don’t Panic.

The poster was free but, now many people are selling it on eBay," said Mr Moore.

Mr Moore said that when the group first started working with artists around five years ago they had approached Banksy but he had turned them down.

A Transport for London spokesperson said: "The artwork in question was accepted for display on one site on the Tube network by CBS Outdoor, our advertising contractor, and was without the halo.

"However the artwork has been removed because it was subsequently defaced."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The growth of illegal file-sharing could cost European countries 1.2m jobs and 240bn euros (£215bn) by 2015, an industry report claims.

The study, commissioned by an industry body and endorsed by trade unions, studied the impact of web piracy in Germany, UK, France, Italy and Spain.

It claims that without measures to curb piracy, the UK alone could lose up a quarter of a million jobs by 2015.

But campaigners described the report as "corporate propaganda".

‘Need for action’

The study, conducted by economics firm TERA Consultants on behalf of the International Chamber of Commerce, said that the UK’s creative industries experienced losses of 1.4bn euros in 2008 because of piracy.

Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the TUC, said that the results showed piracy was a "major threat to the creative industries in terms of loss of employment and revenues".

"If there was ever the proof needed to demonstrate why the Digital Economy Bill is imperative for the protection of our creative industries, this report is it," he said.

DIGITAL ECONOMY BILL

• Legal framework for tackling copyright infringement via education and technical measures
• New duties for Ofcom to assess the UK’s communications infrastructure every two years
• Modernising spectrum to increase investment in mobile broadband
• Framework for the move to digital radio switchover by 2015
• Updating Channel 4 functions to encompass public service content, on TV and online
• Age ratings compulsory for all boxed video games aimed at those over 12 years

Web giants oppose copyright plans

The Digital Economy Bill was outlined in the Queen’s speech in November 2009.

It includes various proposals to tackle illegal file-sharing including a so-called "three strikes" element, which would see persistent pirates cut off from the net.

It also includes element that would give courts the power to block websites that facilitate copyright infringement.

The bill has been passed by the Lords and is now expected to be rushed through the Commons before the general election.

There has been a groundswell of opposition to the Bill from firms such as British Telecom, Google and Facebook, which say that elements of the bill could undermine free speech on the net without reducing copyright infringement.

A campaign has also started on the internet encouraging people to write to their MP to stop the government rushing the bill through "without proper debate"

Jim Killock of the Open Rights Group (ORG) is a vocal opponent of the Digital Economy Bill and the new research.

"I am fed up of hearing corporate propaganda being deployed in order to justify intrusions on our rights to freedom of speech, privacy and to a fair trial," he said.

"We have no truck with infringement of copyright, but it is shameful that anyone from the Labour movement can attempt to justify removal of vital services such as the internet as a punishment."

"To me, piracy is something adventurous, it makes you think about Johnny Depp"

Agnete Haaland
International Actors’ Federation

The ORG recently revealed that certain amendments to the bill proposed in the House of Lords - but not passed - had been drafted by music industry group the BPI.

"Members of the Labour movement spent decades fighting for people’s rights to basic services, education, and political organisation: they need to ask themselves where their true values lie," said Mr Killock.

"Are they with Gordon Brown’s call to recognise the internet as just as vital for the today’s citizens as water, gas and electricity; or are they with music industry lobbyists, calling on Parliament to infringe people’s human rights"

Piracy plan

The new report used data from EU countries, the World Intellectual Property Organization and Eurostat, the EU’s statistical gathering arm.

It said its figures were a worst case scenario based on consumer Web traffic growing 24% annually.

The report said that European creative industries generated 860bn euros and employed 14.4m million people in 2008. In the same year it estimates that 10bn euros and 186,000 jobs were lost across Europe.

Extrapolating that data, it suggests that up to 1.2 million jobs and 240 billion euros worth of European commerce could be wiped out by 2015.

In the UK alone, losses could be up to 254,000 jobs and 7.8bn euros, it said.

According to the UK government, the creative industries in the UK employ around 2 million people.

Agnete Haaland, the president of the International Actors’ Federation, which supports the research, said that education was key to tackling piracy.

"We should change the word piracy," she said.

"To me, piracy is something adventurous, it makes you think about Johnny Depp.

"But we’re talking about a criminal act. We’re talking about making it impossible to make a living from what you do."

She urged the European Parliament to implement rules to tackle online piracy.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The ashes of the late Norman Painting, best known for playing Phil Archer in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers, have been scattered in a private ceremony.

The ceremony took place in the grounds of a local school in Leamington Spa, where trees were planted in his memory.

The area in the school where his family gathered had been named Painting’s Plantation to honour his 80th birthday.

A memorial service is expected to take place later in the year to commemorate the actor, who died aged 85 last year.

He made his final appearance on the long-running Radio 4 drama last November.

Painting had played the Ambridge farmer since the show’s pilot episode in 1950.

His last scenes were recorded just two days before he died.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

X Factor finalists John and Edward Grimes - otherwise known as Jedward - have switched record labels and signed to Universal, it has been confirmed.

The announcement comes a day after it was reported the duo had been dropped by Sony, with whom they released their first single, Under Pressure.

However, it is not clear whether the duo had ever signed to Sony for more than a one-off single.

Manager Louis Walsh said he was "completely committed" to the twins.

Walsh, who mentored the 18-year-olds on the X Factor added he was "delighted" to have secured a new deal.

"I know they still have a great career ahead of them. The boys have a sell-out tour in Ireland that they start straight after The X Factor Tour in April." he added.

The twins divided X Factor fans when they made it through to the final 12, despite a general inability to sing in tune - or in time with one another.

However, their energetic performances of Ghostbusters, We Will Rock You and Oops, I Did It Again, combined with their outrageous outfits, made them, arguably, the series most memorable contestants.

In January when they signed their first deal, the pair said they were "living our dream".

Their first single Under Pressure (Ice Ice Baby) - a duet with rapper Vanilla Ice - was beaten to number one by US band Owl City in February, despite a high profile performance at the National TV Awards.

The track dropped out of the top 10 after a week.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The UK premiere of The Blind Side has been scrapped after its Oscar-winning star Sandra Bullock pulled out of the event, organisers have said.

Warner Brothers said the star, who won the best actress Academy Award last week, will not travel to the UK due to "unforeseen circumstances".

The premiere had been due to take place next Tuesday in London.

The cancellation announcement coincided with unconfirmed reports in the US media regarding the actress’s marriage.

True story

A screening of the film will still take place for ticket holders at the Odeon West End in Leicester Square, where the premiere had been due to take place.

Bullock had been expected to attend with her co-star, newcomer Quinton Aaron.

The release date of 27 March has not been affected.

The film is based on the true story of American footballer Michael Oher and his journey from virtual homelessness to one of the sport’s biggest stars.

Bullock won her Oscar for playing Leigh Anne Tuohy, who takes Oher under her wing.

The 45-year-old was escorted to the Oscar ceremony in Hollywood on 7 March by her husband Jesse James, a reality TV star and motorcycle enthusiast.

In her Oscar acceptance speech she joked: "Did I really earn this, or did I wear you all down"

Bullock dedicated her Oscar "to the mums who take care of the babies and children no matter where they come from," before paying tearful tribute to her own mother.

"To that trailblazer… I thank you so much for this opportunity that I share with these extraordinary women."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

An innovative folding plug has been named as the overall winner at this year’s Brit Insurance Design Awards.

The plug, designed by London student Min-Kyu Choi, beat a collection by the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen to receive the coveted accolade.

The three-pin plug, which folds flat for storage, was one of seven category winners announced earlier this month.

Choi was presented with his award by British artist Antony Gormley at the Design Museum in London on Tuesday.

Gormley described the plug - first unveiled at the Royal College of Art’s graduate show in 2009 - as "thought-through, responsive and modest".

The device, he went on, "shows intelligent, elegant and inventive design can make a difference to everyone’s life."

Designer Tom Dixon and broadcaster Janet Street-Porter were among the judges who decided Choi should be crowned this year’s overall winner.

All the shortlisted designs are on show at the Design Museum until 31 October.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

British actor David Oyelowo is to play Martin Luther King in Precious director Lee Daniels’ next film, reports say.

The Spooks actor will star in civil-rights film Selma, about the historic marches the activist staged in the Alabama town in 1964.

The Hollywood Reporter says Wolverine star Hugh Jackman has already signed to play a racist sheriff in the film.

Selma is due to be released next year despite funding worries after producers Pathe scaled back its involvement.

Daniels faced similar financial hurdles when making Precious - it was financed by a wealthy Colorado couple, and won two Oscars earlier this month.

Oyelowom, who stars in George Lucas’ forthcoming war drama Red Tails, also appeared in The Last King of Scotland and The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

He was named best actor for his role in the BBC drama Small Island at the Royal Television Society (RTS) awards on Tuesday.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

TV bosses in the US have apologised after preview clips of the Playboy channel were accidentally played out on two children’s channels.

A Time Warner Cable (TWC) spokesman said an "technical glitch" was to blame for the mistake which lasted two hours in parts of North Carolina on Tuesday.

The company was made aware of the error after parents called in to report it.

TWC said it had procedures in place to catch errors, but it was not picked up as it affected only a small area.

‘Worst time’

"We’re very, very sorry it happened - we know parents are concerned," spokesman Keith Poston told local news station WRAL.

"It took about an hour or so once we were notified of the problem to actually get it fixed.

"It was a technical glitch and unfortunately it hit at the worst possible time on the worst possible channels," he added.

The error occurred on the Kids On Demand and Kids Preschool On Demand channels where clips from Playboy TV appeared in the top right hand corner.

Although a menu of available children’s programming was listed on the left side of the screen, previews showing nude women engaged in explicit conversations were shown where previews of children’s shows normally would appear.

Mr Poston said the explicit content aired from about 0615 to 0815 local time in parts of Cary, Garner, Morrisville, Wilson, Goldsboro, Willow Spring and Johnston County, but added most areas just went black when the equipment failed.

Time Warner said it regretted the glitch and had fixed the problem so it would not happen again.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

One of Coronation Street’s most dysfunctional families are set to appear in the 1,000th episode of the Jeremy Kyle Show.

The love triangle between David Platt (Jack P Shepherd), his older brother Nick (Ben Price) and Tina McIntyre (Michelle Keegan) will be played out.

Platt will demand a lie detector test to find out whether his brother and ex-girlfriend have had a relationship.

The actors said they did not rehearse the one-off show before filming began.

"We’re going to do it exactly how people do it [on the show]," said Craig Gazey, who also participated in the show as Graeme Proctor.

"My character is quite funny and may come out with silly things but we’re not doing it for a laugh. We want it to be as if the characters were on Jeremy Kyle."

Viewers of the ITV1 soap have already seen Tina kiss Nick, but she has since become engaged to Jason Grimshaw, played by Ryan Thomas.

"I like Jeremy Kyle. I always watch it, so it’s a bit weird to be one minute watching it and the next on the show," said Keegan.

Kyle’s daytime show usually invites real-life families and partners to discuss - and argue about - their personal issues.

The Coronation Street episode is scheduled to be broadcast on ITV1 on 18 March.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Harry Hill, Ant and Dec and Michael McIntyre will battle it out for a top prize at the Royal Television Society Awards, which take place later.

The stars are up for best entertainment performance gong at the TV industry ceremony, hosted by Rob Brydon.

Two Simon Cowell shows - Britain’s Got Talent and The X Factor - will compete for best entertainment show, alongside BBC Four’s news review show Newswipe.

James May, Piers Morgan and Louis Theroux are all up for best presenter.

Social misfit

May’s nomination is for the BBC Two series Toy Stories, Morgan is up for his ITV1 chat series Life Stories, while Theroux’s nod is for the BBC Two programme A Place for Paedophiles.

Earlier this month it was revealed that BBC Two comedy Miranda was nominated for three prizes.

Miranda Hart, who stars in the show, is up for best comedy performance, while she and fellow writers James Cary and Richard Hurst are nominated for best comedy writing.

Miranda Hart has also starred in Smack the Pony, Lead Balloon and Not Going Out

Full list of RTS nominees

The show is also in the running for best scripted comedy up against E4’s The Inbetweeners and BBC Two’s The Thick of It.

Kart plays a social misfit who lives above a joke shop and is often at loggerheads with her overbearing mother, played by Patricia Hodge.

Naomie Harris and Suranne Jones will compete against

Julie Walters is nominated for best actress for her role as a terminally ill woman in BBC One drama A Short Stay in Switzerland.

She goes up against Naomie Harris, for Small Island, and Suranne Jones, for Unforgiven.

In the best actor category, Small Island’s David Oyelowo receives a nod, along with Tom Hardy for The Take and Stephen Graham for his portrayal of an alcoholic who finds out he has a son with Down’s Syndrome in The Street.

The Thick of It star Peter Capaldi and Gavin and Stacey’s Ruth Jones are in the running for best comedy performance alongside Hart

Casualty and EastEnders face The Bill in best soap and continuing drama.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel has been longlisted for this year’s Orange Prize for Fiction.

Mantel has been nominated for her historical novel Wolf Hall, based on Henry VIII’s adviser Thomas Cromwell.

She is joined on the 20-strong list by fellow Booker nominee Sarah Waters, previous Orange Prize winner Andrea Levy, and seven first-time novelists.

Now in its 15th year, the Orange Prize celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing.

‘Tough process’

A shortlist will be revealed on 20 April, with the winner announced at a ceremony on 9 June, where the prize of £30,000 will be presented.

Author and TV producer Daisy Goodwin, chairwoman of the judges, said it was a "muscular and pleasurable" longlist.

"It was a tough judging process as there was a particularly strong range of books submitted from all over the world," she said.

Goodwin is joined on the panel by rabbi, author and broadcaster Baroness Neuberger; novelist and critic Michele Roberts; journalist Miranda Sawyer; and British Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman.

Five authors appearing on this year’s list have previously been longlisted for the prize, and a further four authors have been previously shortlisted.

Any woman writing in English, whatever her nationality, country of residence, age or subject matter, is eligible.

Previous winners include Marilynne Robinson for Home (2009), Rose Tremain for The Road Home (2008), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for Half of a Yellow Sun (2007), Zadie Smith for On Beauty (2006).

The longlist in full:

• Rosie Alison - The Very Thought of You

• Eleanor Catton - The Rehearsal

• Clare Clark - Savage Lands

• Amanda Craig - Hearts and Minds

• Roopa Farooki -The Way Things Look to Me

• Rebecca Gowers - The Twisted Heart

• MJ Hyland - This is How

• Sadie Jones - Small Wars

• Barbara Kingsolver - The Lacuna

• Laila Lalami - Secret Son

• Andrea Levy - The Long Song

• Attica Locke - Black Water Rising

• Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall

• Maria McCann - The Wilding

• Nadifa Mohamed - Black Mamba Boy

• Lorrie Moore - A Gate at the Stairs

• Monique Roffey - The White Woman on the Green Bicycle

• Amy Sackville - The Still Point

• Kathryn Stockett - The Help

• Sarah Waters - The Little Stranger

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown has been cleared of assaulting a woman during a dispute in a Teesside supermarket car.

The comic was accused of hitting 21-year-old Kelly Oliver after almost colliding with her grandmother’s car in Middlesbrough last September.

The 65-year-old, of Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was charged with common assault under his real name, Royston Vasey.

He denied the charge and was acquitted at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

The prosecution had alleged that the comedian had reacted angrily after Miss Oliver watched him reverse his silver Lexus within an inch of her grandmother’s car in the car of park of the Middlesbrough town centre branch of Sainsbury’s on 2 September.

Miss Oliver claimed that when she walked over to a ticket machine, he got out of his car and began shouting at her.

CCTV footage

She then said he hit her with his right hand on the left side of her face.

The comedian admitted confronting Miss Oliver, but said when she raised her arm he believed he was going to be hit himself and pushed her away.

The court was shown CCTV images of the row, but the chairman of the Bench, Fran Wood, said it had not been "helpful" to either the defence or the prosecution.

She said: "Due to the inconsistencies of the evidence of all witnesses and the poor quality of the CCTV footage, we are not convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Vasey is guilty of the offence."

Speaking after the verdict Chubby Brown said: "I was proved innocent, as I said all along.

"I have had so many sleepless nights and now I am just looking forward to getting back to normal.

"I just want to get back to doing what I do best, which is make people laugh."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Ever tempted to settle on one sound to real hone and perfect your own style? Why/why not?
No not really as I would get bored. The whole reason I love making music is to experiment on every track I do and try and make it different from the last but obviously keeping the club feel there. I also work on Advert and TV production so that is a good way of getting away from making straight up club tracks all the time.

How much do you make music as an expression of yourself vs. something to work on a dance floor?
Everything I make is an expression of myself. Its all about how I’m feeling on the day etc. I incorporate what im feeling and something that has to work on the dance floor as well.

What do you aim to achieve with one of your sets/productions?
I try to keep the track interesting. I’ll put my hands up and say I wished I’d worked on a few of my old tracks a bit more but this year I have definitely taken a new leaf and pressured myself into putting more time into my club tracks. You can definitely tell the difference with the production that will be coming out in the next couple of months.

You’re one of the Toolroom Knights - what’s it like working with such people? What have you learnt from them?
It’s really great working with the guys at Toolroom Towers.

Can you tell us about the EP you’re doing for LS City Records?
It’s been great as they are new label and it’s great to be part of something like that just like Toolroom when they first started out. It’s also a good thing as it combines the fact that I’m a semi resident at Filth, Leeds and I’ve tried to incorporate the Filth sound in both of these tracks.
The first track “Do You Think About Me” is a track I would play in the first part of my set at Filth and the second “Put Your Hands Up” near the end as it’s more on the Techno side.

Do you make a record then try get it signed or vice-versa? Do labels have much input/say in how the final release sounds?
Mainly these days I would make a track or an ep and send the track/s to the labels I think would best suit the ep. But on the other hand at the moment I’m working a lot with the Italian label EGO Italy and they have approached me with a vocal track that has been written by Rob Davis of Kylie “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” fame and they want me to put my own twist on it so that has been fun for me.

You’ve agreed to become semi-resident at Filth - what made you make that decision?
It was a very easy decision for me to make and very grateful I was approached. Apart from being a Ministry Of Sound Resident this is definitely in the same league. The first time I played for Filth I was blown away at how good the crowd is in Leeds and the team behind Filth, Danny Savage, Alex Jukes too many to name are fantastic to work with. I look forward to the event months before hand leading up to it. It’s just a good quality night with a crowd that loves music.

What do you think are the key elements for a good party from a DJ’s point of view?

1. Good, friendly up for it crowd.
2. Good quality Sound System.

Doesn’t mean shit where it is or what the club is like but as long as it contains the above, job done.

What can people expect from you at Filth in May?

Pure bliss Techno and Tech house and lots of new bits I’ve made in the studio.

What else are you working on in 2010?
Apart from the Rob Davis track The Sunshine Day track on EGO/Hed Kandi/ Pacha Recordings is going to get a vocal, at the moment we are in talks with Tara McDonald. I’m working with Sam Obernik on a Spanish Guitar led track. I’ve just finished a vocal track with Richard F and Shawnee Taylor and that has a big signing ahead so will keep you guys posted.

What are your top 3 current favourite tracks?
Chris Lake & Michael Woods “Dominos” Rising Recs(Amazinggggg)
Mijail “Santo Domingo” Dark side Digital Records
MVSEVM “French Jeans”(Style Of Eye Remix) Discobelle Records
What track would you reach for in an emergency (i.e. empty dance floor)?

Do you know what I have a few in the back of the wallet including MGMT “Kids”(Soulwax remix), Frankie Knuckles “Your Love” but I’ve just rediscovered Richard F “Let The Sunshine Thru” great track.

One of Ibiza’s most successful partnerships is that of Cream and Paul van Dyk, the long standing resident has truly made the Main Room his own, this summer he returns to host 8 parties, two of which will see him perform on the Mixmag Terrace for the very first time, expect spectacular stage production and more for these very special shows.

Commenting on his return Paul Van Dyk said: “Cream Ibiza has always been a special place for me, and each season just gets better and better. I’m taking Vandit 10th Anniversary tour across the world this year and I can’t wait to celebrate it at Cream Amnesia. Cream Amnesia and Ibiza play a vital role in the international clubbing scene

Dance titan Deadmau5 is one of this year’s new and exclusive signings who takes control of the Mixmag Terrace for a series of 7 shows. The mau5 has singlehandedly paved the way for a new breed of electronic star, becoming the biggest selling artist on Beatport and one of the scenes most innovative live performers. Expect cutting edge production, video and lighting systems and an array of mau5 related headgear! Joining him for this exclusive 7 week residency will be fellow electro don Chris Lake and Michael Woods

Another exciting and exclusive booking for Cream Ibiza is the force of nature that is Eric Prydz. Having had a meteoric rise over the few years, he has gone from near obscurity to becoming one of the world’s most in demand dance producers. His productions have become the soundtrack to a generation, and having performed at Cream Ibiza before for a number of one off appearances, this year Prydz makes Amnesia his home and will see him perform an exclusive 6 parties across the Summer, genre knowing no bounds, his residency will also see him perform both in the Main Room and the Mixmag Terrace. Commenting about his exclusive residency Eric Prydz said: “Cream Amnesia is the highlight of Ibiza. It’s all about Amnesia because of the people who go there and the DJs they have lined up this Summer, its going to be the place to visit this year.”

The exclusives and the heavyweights just keep on coming, as we can also reveal Laidback Luke joins the Cream family for 3 dates, 2 of which will be under the banner of his infamous Super You & Me club brand, joining as support will be Wolfgang Gartner. Super hero attire compulsory!

Keeping the trance contingent happy Cream welcome’s back resident flying Dutchman Ferry Corsten for a series of 6 shows, ranked No.7 in the DJ Top 100, he is one of the true pioneers of the Dutch trance sound. Fellow Main Room deck wizard Eddie Halliwell also returns for 4 dates, a Cream regular whose sets have gone down in Ibiza history not only for the infamous ‘Eddie’ chant but also his stage diving antics, one of dance music’s liveliest performers.

Returning to Cream Ibiza for the first time in 2 years is Above & Beyond, this will be the trance trio’s only performance in Ibiza this Summer, so the Cream team have designated them their very own party. Joining them in the Main Room will be Matt Zo and Jaytech. Joining the all star line up are some of the UK’s rising DJ stars including John O’Callaghan, Gareth Wyn, Adam Sheridan, Giuseppe Ottaviani, Filo & Peri Andy Mac, Anthony Probyn, Andy Woods, Ben Santiago, Sean Hughes, Rob H and Jemmy. It’s fair to say this is going to be one long hot summer! We also welcome back clubbing bible Mixmag as exclusive hosts of the legendary Terrace.

As well as pulling together what is probably Cream’s tastiest Ibiza line up to date, they’re also ensuring customers get value for money, which is why tickets for all events will be available to purchase from the UK, which will ensure a saving on commissions and exchange rates.  Tickets on sale now from www.ticketline.co.uk / Tel: 0844 888 4401

Cream Ibiza Opening Party

Thursday 17th June
Main Room
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Gareth Wyn
Mixmag Terrace
Paul van Dyk (Special Terrace Set)
John O’Callaghan

Thursday 24th June
Main Room
Ferry Corsten
Lange
Mixmag Terrace
Guests TBA

Thursday 1st July
Main Room
Above & Beyond (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Mat Zo
Jaytech
Mixmag Terrace
Guests TBA

Thursday 8th July
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
John O’Callaghan
Adam Sheridan
Mixmag Terrace
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Ben Santiago

Thursday 15th July
Main Room
Ferry Corsten
Eddie Halliwell
John O’Callaghan

Mixmag Terrace
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Jemmy

Thursday 22nd July
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
Guiseppe Ottaviani
Adam Sheridan
Mixmag Terrace Hosted By ‘Super You & Me’
Laidback Luke
Wolfgang Gartner

Thursday 29th July
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
Eddie Halliwell
Filo & Peri
Mixmag Terrace
Guests TBA

Cream Ibiza Birthday

Thursday 5th August
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
Ferry Corsten
Gareth Wyn
Mixmag Terrace Hosted By ‘Super You & Me’
Laidback Luke
Guest TBA
Anthony Probyn

Thursday 12th August
Main Room
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Guest TBA

Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Thursday 19th August
Main Room
Ferry Corsten
Eddie Halliwell
John O’Callaghan

Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Thursday 26th August
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
Guiseppe Ottaviani
Adam Sheridan
Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Thursday 2nd September
Main Room
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Laidback Luke
Gareth Wyn
Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods
Anthony Probyn

Thursday 9th September
Main Room
Paul van Dyk
Gareth Wyn
Adam Sheridan
Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Thursday 16th September
Main Room
Ferry Corsten
John O’Callaghan
Sied van Riel
Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Thursday 23rd September
Main Room
Ferry Corsten
John O’Callaghan
Rob H

Mixmag Terrace with Deadmau5 & Friends
Deadmau5
Chris Lake
Michael Woods

Cream Ibiza Closing Party

Thursday 30th September
Main Room
Eric Prydz (Exclusive 3 Hour Set)
Gareth Wyn
Anthony Probyn
Mixmag Terrace
Paul van Dyk (Special Terrace Set)
Eddie Halliwell
Guiseppe Ottaviani

Best-selling author Joanna Trollope has been given a lifetime achievement award for her services to romance at a ceremony in London.

Irish author Maeve Binchy was also honoured for promoting romantic fiction by the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) at the Pure Passion Awards.

Lucy Dillon’s Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts was named romantic novel of the year.

Meanwhile, a public vote named An Education romantic film of the year.

Other winners at the ceremony included Nell Dixon’s Animal Instincts, which scooped love story of the year, and Jane Costello’s The Nearly-Weds, which lifted the romantic comedy award.

The lifetime achievement honour is the second award the organisation has given Trollope, who won the romantic novel of the year award 30 years ago for her book Parson Harding’s Daughter.

"I am amazed and thrilled to be given this, and so touched, too," she said.

"Of course it means a lot in itself, but it means even more to me because I have such admiration and respect for the RNA."

Binchy, who received her award in Ireland, said: "I’ve always admired the Association because it’s managed to make us believe that stories are important and that we can get lost in the lives of other people."

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Oprah Winfrey must defend a defamation case filed against her by the former headmistress of her girls’ school in South Africa, a US judge has ruled.

Judge Eduardo Robreno refused to dismiss the legal action on Monday, saying Nomvuho Mzamane had enough evidence to pursue her claim.

The star allegedly made remarks about Mzamane in 2007, after sex abuse complaints arose at the school.

The trial is now set for 29 March in Philadelphia.

Disadvantaged children

The abuse emerged in 2007, when one girl at complained she had been fondled while others reported being sworn at, grabbed by the neck, beaten or thrown against a wall.

A former matron at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy was later charged with abusing six students.

Mzamane claims that Winfrey made statements to the press and parents at the time, suggesting she was not trustworthy.

Winfrey’s lawyers argued that the remarks reflected her opinions, but the judge ruled they were potentially defamatory as they ascribed "conduct which would render her [Mzamane] unfit for her profession as an educator".

Winfrey’s lawyer, William Hangley, declined to comment on the decision and Mzamane’s lawyer was not available for comment.

The school was opened in Johannesburg in 2007 at a cost of $40m (£26.3m).

Winfrey pledged to build the academy after a meeting with former South African President Nelson Mandela in 2002, and personally interviewed many of the South African girls from low-income families who applied for the initial 150 places at the school.

The US talk-show host has said she was herself abused as a child and has campaigned against abuse in the US.

She described the abuse charges at her school as one of the most devastating experiences in her life.

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The late author and playwright Keith Waterhouse will be remembered during a thanksgiving service in London later.

One of Britain’s most prolific writers, he passed away in September, aged 80.

Waterhouse made his screenwriting debut on the 1961 film Whistle Down The Wind, but he remains best known for the 1959 novel Billy Liar.

Leeds-born Waterhouse wrote more than 60 books, plays and television scripts to his credit and was a regular newspaper columnist.

The service is scheduled to take place at St Paul’s Church - often referred to as The Actor’s Church - in London’s Covent Garden.

Waterhouse’s twice-weekly column appeared in the Daily Mirror for 16 years. He transferred to the Daily Mail in 1986 and retired from his post last May.

Paul Dacre, editor of the paper, has previously referred to Waterhouse as a "genius".

He also wrote the popular 1970s television series Budgie and Worzel Gummidge, starring Jon Pertwee and Una Stubbs - returning to pen Worzel Gummidge Down Under in the 1980s.

Waterhouse’s work - including the text book Waterhouse on Newspaper Style - brought him a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Literature, and in 1991 he became a CBE.

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First came a poem on the scandal of British MPs’ expenses.

Next was a tribute to the men who fought in World War One, after the deaths of the last two British soldiers to live through the conflict.

Now, poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy has penned a poem with the perhaps unusual inspiration of David Beckham’s ankle injury.

Triumph and tragedy

The work is entitled Achilles and mixes references to the ancient battlefield hero with allusions to battles on the football field and to Beckham himself.

The cross-over was very apparent to a woman who admits to being a big fan of the game.

ACHILLES BY CAROLN ANN DUFFY
Myth’s river- where his mother dipped him, fished him, a slippery golden boy flowed on, his name on its lips.

Without him, it was prophesised, they would not take Troy.

Women hid him, concealed him in girls’ sarongs; days of sweetmeats, spices, silver songs…

But when Odysseus came, with an athlete’s build, a sword and a shield, he followed him to the battlefield, the crowd’s roar,

And it was sport, not war, his charmed foot on the ball…

But then his heel, his heel, his heel…

"He (Beckham) is almost a mythical figure himself, in popular culture," the poet told Radio 4’s The World At One.

"People, like Beckham, in their public lives are stories the rest of us follow.

"It’s fascinating that the injury takes it name from Achilles… The whole point of Greek myths is the combination of triumph and tragedy that we follow in them," she added.

According to ancient Greek mythology, Achilles was the greatest warrior in the Trojan war.

The myth held that he was made invulnerable by being dipped in the waters of the River Styx.

But, because he was held by the ankle, his heel remained unprotected and became his only weakness.

This is where the notion of "having an Achilles heel" comes from.

‘Moving moment’

The impact of Beckham’s injury, which has ruled the former England captain out of this summer’s World Cup, moved Duffy greatly.

"In many ways he’s very human, and the interesting thing about taking ordinary people with a particular talent and making them into heroes is when they are seen at their most human," she said.

"The most tragic image was him being unable to walk and crying on the side of the pitch.

"You just thought how all the money in the world and private planes can’t sort this. It was a very moving moment."

The 34-year-old footballer has since been treated by a Finnish ankle specialist and is expected to take at least six months to recover from the injury.

"I’m a lot more likely to watch football than he is to read poetry"

Carol Ann Duffy

This is not the first time Beckham, well-known for appearing in glossy fashion magazines, has crossed the divide into the arts.

An hour-long video of the former England captain, which simply showed him sleeping, was a star attraction at the National Portrait Gallery in 2004.

So far there has been no indication of what he makes of the poem - and the poet laureate admits that she is not expecting to hear from him.

"I’m a lot more likely to watch football than he is to read poetry!" she told Radio 4.

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Fantasy film Alice In Wonderland remains top of the UK and Ireland box office for the second week in a row.

Tim Burton’s 3D movie, a twist on the original Lewis Carroll tale, has now taken a total of £22.7m in the UK.

Martin Scorcese’s psychological thriller Shutter Island debuted at number two, followed by Green Zone - another new release - in third place.

James Cameron’s Avatar dropped two places to number four, while Hachi: A Dog’s Tale debuted in fifth place.

The movie, about a college professor (Richard Gere) who forms a relationship with an abandoned dog, had previously been denied a cinematic release in the US.

Thriller Shutter Island sees director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio team up once again.

UK AND IRELAND BOX OFFICE

• 1. Alice In Wonderland - £7.3m
• 2. Shutter Island - £2.2m -
• 3. Green Zone - £2m
• 4. Avatar - £638,599
• 5. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale - £442,753

Source: Screen International

The duo have made several successful movies before, including The Departed and The Aviator.

Matt Damon’s Green Zone, based on the book Imperial Life in the Emerald City - an expose of America’s tribulations in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein - took just over £2m in its first weekend.

Avatar, which has now spent 13 weeks in the top 10, has a total UK box office haul of £89.9m.

Swedish drama The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo entered the chart at six, followed by The Lovely Bones at seven.

The Crazies fell five places to number eight, with Disney’s Princess And The Frog in ninth place and fantasy adventure movie Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief rounded off the top 10.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Fantasy film Alice In Wonderland remains top of the UK and Ireland box office for the second week in a row.

Tim Burton’s 3D movie, a twist on the original Lewis Carroll tale, has now taken a total of £22.7m in the UK.

Martin Scorcese’s psychological thriller Shutter Island debuted at number two, followed by Green Zone - another new release - in third place.

James Cameron’s Avatar dropped two places to number four, while Hachi: A Dog’s Tale debuted in fifth place.

The movie, about a college professor (Richard Gere) who forms a relationship with an abandoned dog, had previously been denied a cinematic release in the US.

Thriller Shutter Island sees director Martin Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio team up once again.

UK AND IRELAND BOX OFFICE

• 1. Alice In Wonderland - £7.3m
• 2. Shutter Island - £2.2m -
• 3. Green Zone - £2m
• 4. Avatar - £638,599
• 5. Hachi: A Dog’s Tale - £442,753

Source: Screen International

The duo have made several successful movies before, including The Departed and The Aviator.

Matt Damon’s Green Zone, based on the book Imperial Life in the Emerald City - an expose of America’s tribulations in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein - took just over £2m in its first weekend.

Avatar, which has now spent 13 weeks in the top 10, has a total UK box office haul of £89.9m.

Swedish drama The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo entered the chart at six, followed by The Lovely Bones at seven.

The Crazies fell five places to number eight, with Disney’s Princess And The Frog in ninth place and fantasy adventure movie Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief rounded off the top 10.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

By Claire Prentice
New York

A collection of previously unseen letters written by the famously reclusive Catcher in the Rye author JD Salinger, who died in January, has gone on show at a New York museum.

Out of respect for the author’s desire for privacy, the Morgan Museum & Library has kept the letters under lock and key since it acquired them in 1998.

But now, following Salinger’s death, aged 91, the museum is making the manuscripts public, and shedding light on one of the 20th Century’s most elusive authors.

"The letters don’t detract in any way from the image people have of Salinger, they enhance and burnish it," says Declan Kiely, the curator of the exhibition.

"They show that he wasn’t this weirdo, reclusive, bizarre man that many people have come to think of him as."

Written between 1951 and 1993, the letters are full of acerbic wit, insight, playfulness, self-deprecating humour and a nostalgic yearning for simpler times.

" Almost everybody I’ve ever known lets me know… how unhealthily, how selfishly, how unproductively I’m living my life, going years without publishing, not meeting anybody"

JD Salinger in one of his letters

They provide a revealing insight into the thoughts, interests and daily habits of the New York-born author.

The recipient of the letters, which were mostly written on a typewriter and signed "Jerry" in Salinger’s own hand, was E Michael Mitchell.

A friend and former neighbour, Mitchell designed the book jacket for Salinger’s best-selling novel, The Catcher in the Rye.

In a voice which could be that of The Catcher in the Rye’s central character, disaffected teenager Holden Caulfield, Salinger variously addresses Mitchell as "buddyroo", "old orange" and "old toot".

Avid writer

The publication in 1951 of his seminal coming-of-age novel brought Salinger fame and the adoration of fans. It has sold 65 million copies worldwide.

Salinger loathed the attention and soon after its publication he became a recluse.

Until now, little has been known about Salinger’s life during his lengthy self-imposed seclusion. The letters reveal that, though he stopped publishing in 1965, he continued to work steadily.

He reports that he would sit down at his desk at 6am each day to write, not stopping until noon.

In a letter dated 16 October 1966, Salinger writes, "I have 10, 12 years’ work piled around… I have two particular scripts - books, really - that I’ve been hoarding and picking at for years… I don’t know when I’ll feel moved to take any action with them."

The words he speaks of were never published.

Now scholars, publishers and fans are eagerly waiting to see whether any new Salinger works will appear.

The letters are peppered with references to politics and figures from popular culture, including John Wayne, Eddie Murphy and Nancy Reagan.

"They show he was fully engaged with the world even after he withdrew from it," says Kiely.

‘Old goat’

The author describes his growing disillusionment with the world and his anger at the intrusions of the media, fans and would-be biographers.

Salinger writes, "almost everybody I’ve ever known lets me know… how unhealthily, how selfishly, how unproductively I’m living my life, going years without publishing, not meeting anybody".

Kiley says the letters never "reveal his reasons for not publishing but it seems to be largely self-doubt".

In one letter, the author describes having "so many middle-aged beliefs and burdensome doubts at work in the mind," he notes.

Salinger was married three times and had two children. In a letter written in 1985, when he was 66, he writes, "Old goat that I am, I still occasionally propose marriage to anybody who passes by my window."

The dark tone of the later letters is in stark contrast to his earlier missives in which Salinger describes riding on the New York subway, visiting the Natural History Museum, eating Chinese food and going to a party at the London home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

Overall, says Kiely, the letters illuminate "a much more attractive, fully human side of Salinger".

"You come away with the impression that he was a very good friend and a devoted father."

JD Salinger’s letters are on display at the Morgan Museum & Library in New York, in two phases, from 16 March until 9 May.

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Former EastEnders actress and Strictly Come dancing star Natalie Cassidy has announced she is pregnant with her first child.

The actress, who played Sonia Fowler in the BBC One soap, is expecting with boyfriend Adam Cottrell.

Cassidy, 26, told OK! magazine that their nine month relationship had been a "whirlwind romance".

The star revealed she suffers from polycystic ovaries and had been concerned she could not conceive.

The condition, which typically means small harmless cysts form around the ovaries, can make conceiving difficult.

"I wanted children so much, it was a worry. I came off my contraception in November but I never thought I’d get pregnant that quickly," she said - adding she found out about the pregnancy in December.

The actress met Mr Cottrell, 30, at the Isle Of Wight music festival last year.

"We haven’t really gone public with our relationship, so I guess this will all seem a bit sudden to some people. But it was a whirlwind romance for us too, I guess," she said.

"But we feel like we’ve known each other for ever."

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Pioneering dance duo Orbital are to headline the Glastonbury Festival’s Other Stage this summer, 16 years after a legendary performance at the event.

The Hartnoll brothers will appear at Worthy Farm on Sunday 27 June as part of the festival’s 40th anniversary.

Phil Hartnoll said their famed 1994 appearance was a "pivotal point" for the festival.

"It twisted their head around toward dance music," he told BBC 6 Music. "And now they’ve got a huge dance field."

New songs

Q magazine classed the group’s 1994 Glastonbury appearance as one of the top 50 gigs of all time, and in 2002 included Orbital in their list of 50 Bands to See Before You Die.

The duo split in 2004 after a farewell headline set at Worthy Fatm, but reformed last year and will play a total of nine festivals this summer, including the Isle of Wight, Guilfest and Glade.

Their set will include their first new track in five years, Don’t Stop Me. But Hartnoll said they were focusing on making new music for their gigs, rather than creating a new album.

"We’re thinking, what would the live set need as a lift" he said. "I’m really into the idea of the only way you’re going to hear new tracks is to come and see us live."

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Peter Graves - star of the classic TV series Mission: Impossible and disaster spoof movie Airplane! - has died in the US city of Los Angeles. He was 83.

The actor had a suspected heart attack outside his home after a meal with his family, about a week before his 84th birthday, said publicist Sandy Brokaw.

Graves was perhaps best known for his role as special agent Jim Phelps in the popular TV series Mission: Impossible.

He also played bungling pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 film Airplane!.

"He had this statesmanlike quality"

Sandy Brokaw
Publicist

Early in his career, he also turned in a memorable performance as a Nazi spy in the 1953 prisoner-of-war drama Stalag 17.

He had just returned from lunch on Sunday with his wife and children when he collapsed before making it into the house, his publicist said.

One of his daughters tried in vain to revive him.

"He had this statesmanlike quality," publicist Brokaw told AP news agency. "People were always encouraging him to run for office. But he said: ‘I like acting. I like being around actors."’

Arguably his most famous role was in the long-running TV show Mission: Impossible, in which Graves led a squad of American government special agents battling evil conspirators.

Every show began with Graves, as Agent Phelps, listening to instructions detailing his team’s latest mission on a tape, which self-destructed within seconds of being played.

The show ran on CBS from 1967 to 1973 and was revived on ABC from 1988 to 1990.

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The royalties that UK songwriters, composers and music publishers get from online sales are growing faster than the decline from CDs and DVDs.

That is the finding of PRS for Music, the not-for-profit body which ensures such groups are paid when their music is played, performed or reproduced.

It said UK online revenues for its members rose by £12.8m or 73% to £30.4m in 2009.

At the same time, UK revenues from CD or DVD sales were down £8.7m.

This is the first time that the annual growth in online revenues has been higher than the fall in revenues from CD or DVD sales.

But PRS for Music chief executive Robert Ashcroft said it remained too early to say whether this represented a turning point for the industry.

PRS released the figures as it said overall global revenues for its members totalled £623m last year, up from £608.3m in 2008.

The organisation represents 65,000 UK songwriters, composers and music publishers.

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Rapper Tinie Tempah has held onto the number one spot for a second week with his debut single Pass Out.

Rhianna remains at number two with Rude Boy while Justin Bieber’s song with Ludacris, Baby, was the highest climber, up 185 places to number three.

Despite being ahead in the first official mid-week chart, Gorillaz’s third album, Plastic Beach, was beaten by Boyzone’s Brother.

Last week’s top album, Ellie Goulding’s debut, Lights, dropped to number 16.

Other new entries in the top 10 include Amy MacDonald at number four with A Curious Thing and the cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical Love Never Dies at number 10.

It was a mixed week for Lady Gaga; although her album The Fame dropped three places to number five, her single with Beyonce, Telephone, climbed 19 places to 12; possibly due to the song’s controversial nine-minute video being released this week.

Elsewhere in the singles chart, Cheryl Cole moved up two places to number eight with Parachute while Florence and the Machine and Dizzee Rascal dropped two places to number seven with You got the Dirtee Love.

The cast of the television show Glee were down eight places to 28 with their cover of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, with the original version at number 31.

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Tributes have been paid to the owner of one of Wales’ best known rock venues, who has died at the age of 66.

John Sicolo opened TJ’s in Newport nearly 40 years ago and was a favourite of the late DJ John Peel.

Oasis, Echo and The Bunnymen, Manic Street Preachers and Primal Scream were among bands who appeared there.

Music promoter Julian Blake paid tribute to Mr Sicolo, saying: "He was a legend who brought many bands to Newport."

In recent years the venue has struggled financially, and Mr Sicolo had been planning to auction memorabilia from the club to keep it open. A benefit concert was also in the pipeline.

Mr Blake added: "He put Newport on the global music map to the extent that Newport was said to be the new Seattle."

Mr Sicolo had been in hospital this week for a replacement knee operation.

‘Rest in peace’

One of the TJ’s staff told BBC Wales that Mr Sicolo had died at 0600 GMT on Sunday at the Royal Gwent hospital, Newport.

"The cause of death is not yet known," he said, adding, "Rest in pace, mate."

He said Mr Sicolo’s family would be releasing a statement on Monday.

Mr Sicolo was a former merchant navy seaman, where he served as a cook. He founded the club in 1971, first christening it El Sieco’s before renaming it TJ’s Disco.

Among Welsh bands who performed at the Clarence Place venue were Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci and Catatonia.

Joe Strummer, who was an art student called Woody in Newport before finding fame with The Clash, played at the club a number of times in the years before his death in 2005.

Another late rock star with a link to TJ’s is Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain, who is said to have watched his wife-to-be Courtney Love perform there with her band, Hole.

The late BBC DJ and presenter John Peel dubbed the venue "the legendary TJs" on his radio shows.

Tributes to Mr Sicolo have been made on social network sites, Twitter and Facebook by fans of TJ’s.

"RIP John Sicolo. You were a legend, I just hope TJ’s might live on," said Paul Lloyd, from Cwmbran, on Twitter.

"Sad to hear about the passing of John Sicolo. He was a true gentleman, and helped me in many ways. He will be greatly missed," wrote Ian Hewett, from Cardiff.

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Kate Garraway, Katy Brand and Debra Stephenson are set for the final of the celebrity competition Let’s Dance later in aid of Sports Relief.

There had been doubt over GMTV’s Garraway taking part in the final as she had been injured, but a BBC spokeswoman said she would appear.

Last year’s winner Robert Webb will join comedians Jack Dee and John Culshaw on the judging panel.

Viewers will have the ultimate say in who takes the winning title.

Dance battle

Garraway will return with Richard Arnold to perform Born To Hand Jive, which featured in the 1978 musical film Grease.

Brand will do Beyonce’s routine from the singer’s track Single Ladies and Stephenson will re-enact her Smooth Criminal performance dressed as Michael Jackson.

Rufus Hound will spoof Cheryl Cole from her Fight For This Love video and Cheryl Fergison, best known for playing Heather in EastEnders, will dance to the song Ice Ice Baby.

The Grumpy Old Women, made up of Lesley Joseph, Susie Blake, Linda Robson and Jenny Eclair, are expected to perform to Lady Gaga’s Poker Face again.

For the last three weeks a selection of acts have battled it out on stage to make it to the final.

The show is hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones and starts at 1900 GMT on BBC One.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Kate Garraway, Katy Brand and Debra Stephenson are set for the final of the celebrity competition Let’s Dance later in aid of Sports Relief.

There had been doubt over GMTV’s Garraway taking part in the final as she had been injured, but a BBC spokeswoman said she would appear.

Last year’s winner Robert Webb will join comedians Jack Dee and John Culshaw on the judging panel.

Viewers will have the ultimate say in who takes the winning title.

Dance battle

Garraway will return with Richard Arnold to perform Born To Hand Jive, which featured in the 1978 musical film Grease.

Brand will do Beyonce’s routine from the singer’s track Single Ladies and Stephenson will re-enact her Smooth Criminal performance dressed as Michael Jackson.

Rufus Hound will spoof Cheryl Cole from her Fight For This Love video and Cheryl Fergison, best known for playing Heather in EastEnders, will dance to the song Ice Ice Baby.

The Grumpy Old Women, made up of Lesley Joseph, Susie Blake, Linda Robson and Jenny Eclair, are expected to perform to Lady Gaga’s Poker Face again.

For the last three weeks a selection of acts have battled it out on stage to make it to the final.

The show is hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones and starts at 1900 GMT on BBC One.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The two remaining original members of pop group The Hollies are to miss the group’s induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in New York.

The group, who had more top 40 singles than the Beatles in the UK up to 1975, are being honoured alongside Abba, Genesis, The Stooges and Jimmy Cliff.

But drummer Bobby Elliott and guitarist Tony Hicks will not be there because the band are on tour in the UK.

They will be represented by former members Graham Nash and Allan Clarke.

"I wish them well and I hope they bring my award back in one piece," Elliott said.

The Hollies, whose singles included He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother and The Air That I Breathe, had more US hits than any other British band except The Beatles and Rolling Stones between 1964-75.

Elliott told the BBC that the current band’s UK tour had been in the diary for 12 months when the Hall of Fame accolade was announced, and they could not reschedule.

"There was an upright piano pirouetting on the end of the diving board… that was a good night"

Bobby Elliott
The Hollies

"There was no way we could get an alternative date for these venues," Elliott said. "We’re just a bit hamstrung, we couldn’t get there.

"Our fans in this country are a priority. It’s a great honour to be in the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, no doubt about it. But it’s just one of those things. What would we do"

Elliott and Hicks are performing with the band’s current line-up at the London Palladium on Sunday, a day before the US ceremony.

Steve Van Zant from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band will present the honour to Nash - who formed Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young - and Clarke.

The Hollies had a squeaky clean image - but Elliott said that they deserve to be ranked among more raucous rock stars.

"There used to be a rumour that the [Rolling] Stones would go in and wreck the hotel rooms, and then The Hollies would check in later and tidy them up again, but that’s not really true.

"I remember being at a Holiday Inn, somewhere in the Midwest, which had an indoor pool.

"The following morning when I got up and there was an upright piano pirouetting on the end of the diving board. It was one of our lot but we’ve never found out who did it. That was a good night."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

ITV1 daytime show This Morning will be screened seven days a week, programme bosses have announced.

The flagship weekday show - hosted by Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield - will also be broadcast on Saturday and Sunday from next week.

The two one-hour programmes will feature a round-up of some items shown during the week.

The programme’s executive producer Karl Newton said the move was a "great natural progression" for the show.

"We are thrilled that Phillip and Holly can host these one-hour shows - it opens the programme up to a whole new audience who may miss out during the week," he said.

"It will also reflect viewers’ thoughts as Phillip and Holly digest and comment on the huge amount of messages and calls we receive."

Saturday’s edition of This Morning will be screened at 1210 GMT while Sunday’s show will start at noon.

The first series of the show was broadcast in 1988 from Liverpool.

The programme covers all sorts of lifestyle features including cookery, gardening and fashion.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Actor Corey Haim’s death is being linked to a major drug ring which has been illegally obtaining prescription drugs, US police have said.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown said the star’s name was discovered on records during an investigation into the illegal activity.

He said that the problem of drug abuse was being "increasingly linked to criminal organisations".

But the Los Angeles County coroner has not yet determined what killed him.

The Lost Boys actor died at a California hospital on Wednesday.

"Corey Haim’s death is yet another tragedy linked to the growing problem of prescription drug abuse," Mr Brown said.

"This problem is increasingly linked to criminal organisations, like the illegal and massive prescription drug ring under investigation."

"I don’t think Corey overdosed, not at all"

Mark Heaslip, agent

Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said four prescription drug bottles bearing the actor’s name were found in the apartment where he collapsed, but all those drugs had been provided by a doctor who had been treating the actor.

Mr Winter also said he was "surprised" that Jerry Brown would "come out and give a cause of death".

In a later interview Brown said that he did not know what had killed the actor.

Haim’s agent, Mark Heaslip, said his client’s medications had been prescribed to him.

"I don’t think Corey overdosed, not at all," he said.

Plans are under way to hold a public memorial for Haim, who died aged 38, in LA.

The actor is expected to be buried at a private funeral in his native Canada.

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Take That star Mark Owen has checked himself into rehab days after admitting he had a drink problem and had cheated on his partner of five years.

A spokesman for the 38-year-old said: "I can confirm Mark checked into a private clinic on Friday."

"I have had issues for a long time. I’ve drunk for the last 10 years and it got to a bad point," the singer told The Sun newspaper on Thursday.

He also admitted he was unfaithful to his wife before they married in 2009.

‘Difficult time’

Owen said he was "deeply sorry" that he had cheated with several women during his relationship with Emma Ferguson, the mother of his two children.

But he insisted he had been faithful since marrying her.

In a statement he said: "I’m so deeply sorry for the pain my actions have caused my family and friends."

The singer added: "I’d like to ask the media to please respect the privacy of my wife and children during this difficult time."

Owen, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2002, said he had not recognised how bad his drinking had got.

"I have been a prat. I wasn’t thinking - I don’t think logically when I’m drunk"

Mark Owen

"I carried on drinking through my relationship with Emma and it got to the point where she asked me to stop.

"I’ve never liked drinking during the day but once the kids went to bed, I’d get the bottle open and off I went.

"I have been a prat. I wasn’t thinking - I don’t think logically when I’m drunk. I’m not the person I want to be when I’m drunk. I can be a nightmare to live with."

Owen admitted the affairs to his wife on Wednesday and his confession was published in Thursday’s edition of the paper.

The star, who has enjoyed phenomenal success with Take That since they reunited in 2005, said he was "proud" of the fact he had not cheated since tying the knot.

"I know that sounds really stupid but on our wedding day, for me the ring is really important and I want to be true to my word."

The couple married at Cawdor Parish Church, near Inverness in Scotland, followed by a reception at Cawdor Castle.

"It was a big moment for me, my wedding day," Owen said.

"The wedding for me was a new slate and a new start. In my head there was never a time when I was doubting getting married."

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The UK will choose its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest later.

Six previously unknown acts will compete for the chance to perform Pete Waterman and Mike Stock’s song in Oslo in May.

After an initial round singing famous hits, three of the acts will be picked by Waterman to sing the new tune, with the winner determined by a public vote.

The UK’s Jade Ewen finished fifth at the last year’s Eurovision, with a song composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Key change

It was the country’s best placing for seven years after a run of disastrous results.

Waterman, who was part of the team behind hits for Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Steps, has remained tight-lipped about his new composition, which will be heard in public for the first time on Your Country Needs You.

He would only confirm that it contains a key change and an "obvious" title.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Waterman said he and Stock "were not frightened" by the challenge and were "used to the pressure".

"This really is what we do, write three-minute Euro pop songs," he added, and praised Lloyd Webber for having staked his reputation on spearheading the UK’s challenge in 2009.

"It’s like entering a competition every time you write [a pop song]. You’re after a number one, not a number two," he continued.

The acts vying for the UK’s berth in Moscow include a teenage singer with Kurdish roots, a jazzy female trio and a male singer and dancer who considers himself a "showman".

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The UK will choose its representative for the Eurovision Song Contest later.

Six previously unknown acts will compete for the chance to perform Pete Waterman and Mike Stock’s song in Oslo in May.

After an initial round singing famous hits, three of the acts will be picked by Waterman to sing the new tune, with the winner determined by a public vote.

The UK’s Jade Ewen finished fifth at the last year’s Eurovision, with a song composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Key change

It was the country’s best placing for seven years after a run of disastrous results.

Waterman, who was part of the team behind hits for Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Steps, has remained tight-lipped about his new composition, which will be heard in public for the first time on Your Country Needs You.

He would only confirm that it contains a key change and an "obvious" title.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Waterman said he and Stock "were not frightened" by the challenge and were "used to the pressure".

"This really is what we do, write three-minute Euro pop songs," he added, and praised Lloyd Webber for having staked his reputation on spearheading the UK’s challenge in 2009.

"It’s like entering a competition every time you write [a pop song]. You’re after a number one, not a number two," he continued.

The acts vying for the UK’s berth in Moscow include a teenage singer with Kurdish roots, a jazzy female trio and a male singer and dancer who considers himself a "showman".

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

A new exhibition will showcase for the first time the art that Queen Victoria and Prince Albert collected and presented to each other.

The display at Buckingham Palace reveals the couple’s enthusiasm for paintings, sculptures and jewellery.

The 400-piece royal collection is expected to "challenge attitudes towards the monarch," its curator said.

Jonathan Marsden, lead curator for Art and Love, said: "It was really only intended for Albert’s eyes."

‘Secret picture’

He added: "The Queen does not exactly look like a queen, that’s how he knew her - not the rest of the realm."

He added: "We think, ‘who were these people’, because she doesn’t look like the queen we know, she was a party girl when she was in her 20s and 30s."

"He preferred things that took him to a higher place of thinking, while she liked visual satisfaction"

Jonathan Marsden, lead curator, Art & Love

Victoria’s most glamorous surviving dress, worn at a Buckingham Palace ball in 1851, is part of the exhibition.

Mr Marsden who takes over from Sir Hugh Roberts as director of the Royal Collection next month said: "This wasn’t exactly normal - this was a very elaborate costume gown.

"She would be out dancing all the time, I think what really got her going was music, dancing the theatre, opera."

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the rarely-displayed painting, known as "The Secret Picture" by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, which Victoria commissioned in 1843 as a surprise present for Albert’s 24th birthday.

The oval image shows the Queen in what many Victorians would have described as a sensual pose, with a bare neck and her long hair flowing freely.

Those behind the exhibition said they hoped it would give members of the public an insight into the royal couple’s relationship and their passion for art.

Paintings and sculptures show the nude female form and private artwork shared between Victoria and her husband.

The curator said the royal couple had distinct tastes, with Victoria attracted to works which stimulated the senses, while Albert was more cerebral and preferred art that appealed to his intellect.

"He preferred things that took him to a higher place of thinking, while she liked visual satisfaction," said Mr Marsden.

The exhibition, Victoria and Albert: Art and Love, will open to the public on 19 March and runs until the end of October.

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The One Show presenter Christine Bleakley has started her water-ski challenge across the English Channel in aid of Sport Relief.

The star, who left early on Friday morning, is aiming to complete the challenge in just over an hour.

She will cover the 21-mile busy shipping lane to France at about 20mph.

Bleakley, 31, has had several delays to attempt the challenge because of bad weather. Strong winds mean she is still likely to face sub-zero temperatures.

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A 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged in connection with a break-in at singer Susan Boyle’s home in West Lothian, police said.

The incident at the Blackburn home of the Britain’s Got Talent runner-up, happened on 26 January.

Ms Boyle, 48, disturbed the intruder as she returned home from London after recording a charity single for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Police said the boy will now be reported to the Children’s Reporter.

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "A 16-year-old youth has been arrested and charged in connection with a theft that happened at a property in Yule Terrace, Blackburn, on 26 January."

Despite her global success, Ms Boyle, has not moved from the council house she has lived in since she was a child.

Her album, I Dreamed A Dream, went straight to number one in the charts and became the best-selling debut in UK chart history.

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Sir David Jason is to lend his voice to CBBC’s first ever in-house animation series, the channel has announced.

Sir David, who was previously the voice of eyepatch-wearing superhero Danger Mouse, will play Randalf the wizard in the new fantasy series, Muddle Earth.

"I am delighted to be back doing one of the jobs I enjoy most for such a wonderfully entertaining new children’s series," the 70-year-old said.

Music for the show will be played by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Muddle Earth is based on the book of the same name by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, and follows the adventures of Randalf and his human apprentice Newt.

Together they try to stop Dr Cuddles and an evil blue teddy bear from taking over the land.

Sir David, who played Detective Inspector Jack Frost for 16 years, also voiced Toad in the animated series The Wind in the Willows.

Head of CBBC animation development Sarah Muller, said: "We are thrilled to have been able to produce a world-class animated series entirely in the UK, which is testament to the extraordinary talent that we’ve been able to gather together.

"CBBC has a strong commitment to support the British animation industry and I hope that Muddle Earth is just the first of many great local successes for us."

The show makes its debut on 15 March.

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By Mandeep Sanghera
BBC Asian Network

Jay Sean swept the boards at the 2010 Asian Music Awards by winning every the prize for which he was nominated.

The singer took best male, best album for All or Nothing, best video for Down and best urban act at the ceremony, held in London’s Royal Festival Hall.

Amar claimed the best female act, while JK was voted the best newcomer.

Other notable winners included Imran Khan for best Desi (south Asian) act, while Sukshinder Shinda earned the award for best producer.

"It’s a great feeling to get four out of four," 26-year-old Sean told BBC Asian Network, and revealed he had also bagged a guest superstar for his next single.

"I’ve recently done a collaboration with Mary J Blige," he said. "It was incredible and we are shooting the video in London on Friday."

The Hounslow-born R&B singer generated a huge roar of approval from the crowd - along with fellow nominees Imran Khan, Jaz Dhami and Mumzy Stranger - whenever their names were mentioned.

And, even though Sean came out on top, Dhami and Khan did produce two of the highlights of the awards.

The white-suited Dhami opened the show as a grand piano and violinist provided the backdrop to his singing, while Khan put on a performance which saw him drape a snake around him as he sang a medley of his songs.

"You have to do something different to stand out in the industry and I did it," said Khan, who had a huge hit with his single Amplifier. "I loved it."

British boxer and WBA light-welterweight champion Amir Khan added: "I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a real snake - I hate snakes as well.

"There were some crazy acts going on. I loved it. I’ve heard a lot about the event and, although it’s the first time I’ve come to them, I think I’ll be here again."

The Sugababes also put in a performance at the ceremony, as they revealed that they will be going to India to perform at the lucrative Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

See the full list of winners

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A musical celebrating US musician Ray Charles will open on Broadway in November, it has been announced.

Unchain My Heart will be produced by Stuart Benjamin, who also made the 2004 Oscar-winning movie Ray, which starred Hollywood actor Jamie Foxx.

The musical was originally staged at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2007 with the title Ray Charles Live! A New Musical.

Suzan-Lori Parks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, has penned a book to accompany the show.

The Broadway cast has yet to be unveiled.

In 2004, Foxx was named best actor at the Academy Awards for his portrayal of the late musician, who was a pioneer in the genre of soul during the 1950s.

The film also won the Oscar for sound mixing.

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Film director Peter Jackson may face legal action over his plans to install a version of the famous Hollywood sign in New Zealand, according to reports.

The proposed Wellywood sign would sit above the Oscar-winning director’s studios in his home city of Wellington.

But the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which owns the original sign in Los Angeles, has threatened legal action.

"The sign is trademarked," president Leron Gubler told the Telegraph,"and we constantly enforce our trademarks".

"It’s fine for them to put up a sign, just don’t duplicate ours."

Jackson, best known for his Academy Award-winning adaptation The Lord of the Rings, had hoped to emulate the original 1923 sign, but has been warned that the font and staggered lettering of the sign constitute the trademark.

"Having a big Wellywood sign pokes affectionate fun at Hollywood, and the satire doesn’t work if you’re designing something that looks completely different," said Jackson.

‘Tacky’

The success of Jackson’s fantasy trilogy, filmed over 15 months, pumped some $200m ($285m NZ, £131m) into the local economy and turned Wellington into an international centre for film-making.

"This is the heart and soul of New Zealand’s film industry," said mayor Kerry Prendergast, who is backing Jackson’s sign.

Planning permission has been granted, with the sign due to be installed in June.

Bt mayoral candidate Jack Yan - who contacted the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in a bid to stall the sign’s go-ahead - has deemed it "tacky and unoriginal".

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Popular teen drama series Skins has been commissioned for a further two series, E4 has announced.

A new cast will be selected for series five and six. Open auditions will take place in London and Bristol in April, ready for filming in the summer.

Channel 4’s head of drama Camilla Campbell said replacing the cast every two years made Skins a "truly distinctive show".

The first episode of the current series attracted 1.2m viewers in January.

The Bristol-based show, which follows the lives of a group of troubled teenagers, helped launch the careers of Nicholas Hoult, who recently starred in A Single Man and Slumdog Millionaire’s Dev Patel.

Since the show began in 2007, it has explored several hard-hitting storylines including personality disorders, substance abuse and death.

"Skins has always been about new talent, both on and off screen, and the decision to recast the series every two years is one of the reasons Skins stands out," Ms Campbell said.

"Now another group of teenagers will have the rare opportunity to be part of a British drama series that says something about their lives and is one of the most exciting shows on television.

"I can’t wait to find out who they will be."

The current series ends its run next week.

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By Torin Douglas
BBC media correspondent

Media hoaxes are nothing new.

The Hitler Diaries fooled both the Sunday Times and the German magazine Stern. A fake website about the Bhopal disaster hoodwinked the BBC. But social networking sites mean hoaxes can now travel faster, unchecked, than ever before.

Could this week’s reports about the French president Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni stem from another hoax

That is the latest claim, after rumours about the couple swept France via Twitter and found their way into some British media.

A front page headline in Wednesday’s Daily Telegraph proclaimed, "Sarkozy affair rumours sweep France". Over prominent photographs of Carla Bruni and another woman, the paper asked "Has Carla met her match"

The Daily Mail asked: "Are Sarko and Carla cheating on each other" and reported, "they are, if the rumour mill is to be believed, both having affairs."

The Independent’s website carried a Press Association report which acknowledged the rumours, but pointed out that the mainstream French media had not reported them.

"Paris gossips were trying to sort out fact from fiction today as the blogosphere raised tantalising questions about the glamorous pop ‘n’ politics marriage of President Nicolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni," it read.

"While the ‘traditional’ French media remained silent, bloggers and Twitterers spread word of alleged infidelity in high places - on both sides."

‘Cruel hoax’

The reports in Britain prompted Sky News to bring forward a pre-recorded interview with Carla Bruni, in which she was asked whether she believed her husband had had affairs in the past.

That in turn led to reports that she had denied the current speculation, with online headlines such as: "Carla Bruni denies affair rumours sparked by Twitter and internet gossip".

Should newspapers, broadcasters or news agencies such as the Press Association report such unconfirmed rumours It’s a growing problem for all mainstream media, as news stories spread via Twitter, blogs and other social media networks. Is the fact that a rumour is spreading rapidly a sufficient justification to report it

If so, the Sarkozy claims should act as a warning. For the next day’s Independent carried a new line from its Paris correspondent, John Lichfield, under the headline "End of the affair Or a cruel hoax"

He wrote: "According to one French magazine, L’Express, the rumour began as a hoax by a French trainee journalist.

"He wanted to see how easy it was to get an unverified assertion from the chat website Twitter on to random blogs and into the mainstream media. If so, he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams."

But Lichfield went on: "The L’Express report of a hoax cannot be verified either. No one has yet come forward to claim the credit for starting the rumour rolling."

That story in turn was rapidly "retweeted" across the blogosphere, leaving no one any clearer at this stage whether the rumours were a hoax or had any justification at all.

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Pink Floyd have won a court battle with record label EMI over how their music is sold over the internet.

The rock legends, signed to EMI since 1967, sued the label over its decision to sell individual album tracks online.

EMI has been ordered to pay £40,000 in court costs as an interim payment. The judge is still considering how much more the label should pay as a fine.

EMI has also been banned from selling single Pink Floyd tracks online without the band’s permission.

The group, whose latest contract was signed before download stores like iTunes appeared, also disputed the way royalties for digital sales were calculated.

They largely avoided releasing singles, instead preferring fans to listen to entire albums such as Dark Side of the Moon, which has sold more than 35 million copies around the world.

Artistic control

Earlier this week, Robert Howe QC, appearing for the group, said the the band’s deal with EMI stipulated that their "seamless" albums should not be split up and that they "wanted to retain artistic control".

He said it would have been "a very odd result" if band members were able to control exactly how their music was sold as a physical product but there was "a free-for-all with no limitation on online distribution".

Elizabeth Jones QC, appearing for EMI, disagreed and said the word "record" in the band’s contract "plainly applies to the physical thing - there is nothing to suggest it applies to online distribution".

The band were not present to hear the judgment at the High Court in London.

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Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon has told school pupils to follow their dreams - but to make sure they have a back-up option, too.

The pop star told a team from the BBC’s School Report project that at school she wanted to be a teacher herself - and thought she would make a nice, but disciplined, member of staff.

But anyone who wanted success should finish their education, she advised.

Reporters Cara and Olaiton from Catford High School, Lewisham, quizzed Dixon.

The singer said her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing helped because "people got to know me as an individual, not the girl from the girl group".

"Doing a show like Strictly, you can’t hide behind anything - what you see is what you get," she said.

So did she want to be a singer or a dancer

"When I was growing up I would say both… for me they go hand in hand."

But she also had very down-to-earth ideas for her future, and having gained her diploma in sport studies, she planned to become a teacher.

"Fall-back career"

"When I was at school and my teachers used to ask me what I wanted to do when I left school, I used to say I want to be a teacher," she said.

Trying to build a career in the music industry was a "huge risk", but with a proper education behind you "you have a fall back career".

She described School Report as inspiring in how it shows students what opportunities are "out there", and said it was something she would have loved to do when she was at school.

Her final message was to: "Follow your heart, follow your dreams and work hard… and just enjoy yourselves."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich is to play a Josef Fritzl-style Austrian psychopath on stage in London next year, it has been announced.

The 56-year-old will bring The Infernal Comedy, about real-life serial killer Jack Unterweger, to the Barbican.

Artistic director Graham Sheffield said the play was "curiously similar" to the story of Frizl, who locked his daughter in a basement prison for 24 years.

Barbican bosses also said ticket sales had reached record levels in 2009.

Speaking about Malkovich’s one-man play, Mr Sheffield said the Barbican was "not afraid" to tackle issues of the day.

"Part of the reason I picked it was the issue of how people like that, monsters like that, can get away with crimes like that," he said.

"The reason we put on something like that is it has a pretty shocking relevance to some of things going on in society."

Mr Sheffield said the work was "beautiful" despite its "ostensibly shocking" subject matter.

Other shows in the 2010/2011 season include Future Beauty, a "ground-breaking" show of innovative Japanese fashion, a new version of Gyorgy Kurtag’s Kafka Fragments, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel.

Barbican managing director Sir Nicholas Kenyon said there was a "tremendous thirst" for the arts at present.

He said: "Over the last year the Barbican had its best year ever with 1.2 million tickets sold. Attendances over that year were 13% up and that success story, which I’m sure is not unique in the arts world, is continuing this year.

"People are buying tickets through the recession. The concerts we’re putting on in spring 2011 are already sold out."

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The BBC Trust has announced it is to review how well some BBC radio services perform in terms of their quality, distinctiveness and value for money.

One review will assess Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7, while a second will look at all the BBC’s local radio services.

The stations are among the last to be looked at as part of the Trust’s ongoing round of service reviews.

Each review will include a 12-week consultation period where the public can give their views.

The review of Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 7 will begin in the spring and will be published next winter, while the timetable for the review of nations and local radio is currently being considered.

David Liddiment, BBC Trustee and Chair of the Trust’s Audience and Performance Committee, said: "As well as the current performance of these services we’ll also be looking at the BBC’s future plans for the stations to ensure they are robust and deliverable."

Last week, the BBC confirmed plans to axe radio stations 6 Music and the Asian Network and slash spending on its website as part of a shape-up of the organisation.

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A Guy Called Gerald has spent the last couple of years flitting through shadows, turning up on labels like Perlon, Beatstreet and Sender like a peripatetic prophet of the Berlin underground, seeding the scene with cryptic singles that return to the past to suggest alternate futures.

Now he returns to Berlin’s Laboratory Instinct label with the follow-up to 2006’s Proto Acid: The Berlin Sessions, the album that re-established Gerald as an acid hero and techno auteur. Tronic Jazz: The Berlin Sessions builds upon the foundation established by its predecessor to create an even more powerful statement of intent, one that communicates more persuasively than ever Gerald’s vision for techno in its third decade of existence. One immediate difference stands out, this time around. Where Proto Acid offered a seamless mix of 24 cuts, recorded in one epic session, Tronic Jazz collects 13 standalone tracks. That’s welcome news to DJs. But there’s something else: freed from the flow of the mix, the tracks go deeper into themselves, even while contributing to the overall shape of the album as a single, coherent form. They’re more varied in tone and mood, and even tempo. While Proto Acid was, by definition, a tracky affair, a kind of puzzle comprised of interlocking pieces, Tronic Jazz stretches out to explore its ideas in greater detail and greater depth.

Nothing overstays its welcome: Gerald is a master of concision, and he manages to express everything he needs in five-minute chunks-inside which time stops still, arrested by the interplay of deftly programmed machine rhythms, carefully arranged chord progressions, and a masterfully intuitive sense of sound design.

The main thing relating Proto Acid and Tronic Jazz, of course, is their resolutely analog underpinnings. Like Proto Acid, Tronic Jazz is an extension of a life spent listening closely to machines, knowing exactly what knob to tweak at exactly the right instant. It represents a feedback loop through the artist and his circuitry-a spontaneous journey though the miles of silicon in his vintage boxes. And every track’s arrangement, likewise, is an extension of a life spent listening to his audience. Following on Gerald’s unique performance style-two laptops left unsynched, an on-the-fly fusion of molecular selection, DJing and improvised production that he calls “Responsive DJing”-Tronic Jazz’s 13 tracks all know exactly where their listeners want to gom and they drive forward with uncommon focus, though not without satisfying the occasional devious urge.

You could call Tronic Jazz’ sound classic: its Spartan drum machines, analog synthesizers and carefully sculpted funk are all modeled after a blueprint laid down decades ago in Chicago and Detroit. In great contrast to so much electronic dance music of the past decade, it’s not generally concerned with the digital realm. It avoids the “feature creep” afflicting too much house and techno, where the possibility to do just about anything with sound leaves the music at an impasse, piling on effect after effect, techniques suffocating musical ideas. It’s more concerned with the expressive potential of a restricted kit: finding the loophole in familiar rhythms to turn them inside out with a
single, carefully placed accent. Cutting a glissando lead through a field of drum shrapnel, like some kind of pixie earthmover, or rubbing two basslines up against each other til they throw off sparks. After so many years of digital anything-goes, you might have forgotten the kind of sounds that are possible with “old” machines: the way a lead stacked against tuned percussion and shrouded in pads can evoke still other sounds, hidden in the mix, or maybe not really there at all. It’s a ghostly, suggestive presence, a kind of evocation of infinite possibility within the context of a limited set of inputs. In that sense, Tronic Jazz follows a certain minimalist impulse, but it’s far too lush ever to be mistaken for the dread “mnml” of recent years.

This stuff is wide-eyed and full of life. When it funks, it funks hard, and when it smoothes out, it can be as intimate as a hand-written note left on a lover’s pillow. As “classic” as Tronic Jazz may be, the album refutes any notion that “classic” equals “retro,” that the ideas have all been expressed before. Tronic Jazz takes the foundations of house and techno as though they were a kind of language, and speaks volumes with them.

01. People Moover
02. Nuvo Alfa
03. Flutter
04. Iland
05. Just Soul
06. The Dip
07. Round Eco
08. Dirty Trix
09. Wow Yheah
10. Indi Vibe
11. Pacific Samba
12. Conclusion F min Blue
13. Merfed

The duo’s new night (which is also their label) Electric Playground, is to take place at Nocturnal in Sheffield each month, and will showcase the pair themselves as well as headline slots from big DJs from across the world.

We caught up with them for their take on chasing the next big thing, the importance of their radio shows (forthcoming guests include Justice, Sneaky Sound System, Mark Knight, Funkagenda) and how they got into all this…

What music did you grow up around?

Nick:  I really started getting into music in the 90s so I’ve sort of seen dance music evolve into different genres and styles.  Growing up in London I listened to a lot of pirate radio and was into more hardcore and jungle, I also played the guitar so would learn to tracks by bands like Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Roses.

Andi: I’ve been obsessed with all kinds of electronic music since I was a little kid. My dad was always playing stuff like Kraftwerk, the Pet Shop Boys, Georgio Moroder, Pink Floyd and the Human League when I was growing up, and so when the dance scene really kicked off in the early 90s I loved it straight away, even though I was too young to get into the clubs.
What scenes were you involved in Leeds and are you still?

Nick: Our first event we put in in Leeds was in 2003 when Mission first opened, it was a progresive house night called Distortion and we ran it for about 10 months until we decided to concentrate on studio based stuff.

Andi: We launched the Electrik Playground in Leeds at the start of 2008 and since then we’ve been lucky enough to take the night into different venues and cities around the UK, and now we have regular parties at Ministry of Sound in London, Nocturnal in Sheffield and Privilege Ibiza.
How did you get into this game?

Andi: I spent 2 weeks work experience in 1996 at the council in Huddersfield making weak tea and choosing the best fonts for new road signs.. which made me take a long hard look into ways of making a living out of my hobby and not getting a proper job. I used to make tapes of old hardcore, drum and bass and rave and sell them outside school for £2.60 - so I figured it was the way forward. I managed to blag my way into the studios of Kiss FM in Leeds and worked for free throughout college. I used to be the guy who sat in with all the specialist DJs making sure they weren’t too stoned to work the desk, and inevitably sometimes they wouldn’t turn up, or a pre recorded show would go wrong so I’d be ready and waiting with a bag of records.. I eventually got my own show and Kiss became part of the Galaxy network in 97.

Nick: I always wanted to get some decks, but it wasn’t until I started Uni and my student loan came through I afford some.  After a couple of months of learning how to mix in my bedroom I put on some events at the University union and then that led to some parties at a small 300 capacity club in Sheffield.  Once I’d finished my course I took a year off to keep putting on events and seeing where I could get Djing - nearly 10 years on I’ve still not got a proper job!

Do you prefer radio or club DJing and why?

Andi: Impossible to choose! The adrenaline rush you get when you start a live radio show and the red light goes on is awesome.. it’s a weird feeling knowing there’s millions of people all around the country listening to what you’re saying and playing, but of course you can’t see any of them, and you don’t get that instant feedback that you do in a club. You can experiment more on the radio though, as you don’t need to keep people dancing - just interested. It’s a privilege to be able to help break new artists and tracks to.

Nick: Both of them are wicked in different ways, but I don’t come from a radio background, so for me you can never beat the buzz of playing to an up-for-it crowd in a rammed out club.
As radio DJs you always champion new stuff - always looking for the next big thing… ever think we should dwell on what we have a little longer?

Nick: That’s a very good question, in this industry you can be the hottest new property and flavour of the month for a short while and then just disappear.  I think in general you are always searching for the next big thing as you want to stay ahead of the crowd and bring some uniqueness to your sets.  But at the end of the day if its good music we will play it regardless whether it’s from an a-list superstar who has been around for years or a kid who has made it in his bedroom in Syberia on a 10 year old PC…

Andi: There’s such a wealth of classic and interesting electronic music from the last 20 years that we also make sure we go back to some of the forgotten anthems and classics on the radio shows every week.
You impressed people with your 2007 artist album “Research & Development” - what inspired and influenced that?

Nick: We’d got bored of hearing the same sounding music and got into a bit of a rut musically ourselves. We had our own sound, and a formula to make tracks and remixes, and while it worked well for a couple of years it stopped being a challenge or particularly exciting. We thought it would be a good experiment to start again, move the studio out of the city and start writing different music, with proper instruments and incorporating the same cross section of styles we play on the radio.

Andi: We got back to basics, moved our studio into the middle of nowhere, unplugged the broadband and started working with musicians and singers from rock, folk, indie, hard dance, minimal and drum and bass - learnt different things from them all, and came up with a first draft of the album. Which was shit. So we went back and did it over and over until it was right.
Any plans for another?

Nick: At the moment the music we make and play crosses a lot of different genres so one track can be very different from the next.. keeping us on out toes.  We’re also enjoying doing lots of remixes for artists like Chicane, Robbie Rivera and Snow Patrol and are pushing our single releases through our Electrik Playground label.  So in a nut shell, there is no album planned for the next 6 months or so.

Andi: We might take a couple of months out this winter to lock ourselves away and work on a new album though..
Do you ever have to look for new music or do you just use the ton you must get sent?

Andi: We’re lucky enough to get sent between 250 and 300 new tracks every week - which pretty much covers all styles and sounds from all the record labels and direct from producers and artists themselves. It takes 2 full days to download and listen to each week so it’s quite a job to listen to every track, but it’s worth it for the gems you find in the pile.
What do you look for in a record before it gets played in your set?

Nick: Simple - is it going to work make you need to move..  We get sent loads of records that just do nothing, I sometimes wonder if the producer forgot to finish the track before sending it over or whether he’s trying to be cool by keeping it super minimal…

Andi: If you’re listening to around 300 tracks a week, and a certain record stands out a mile from the crowd, you know instantly it’s got something special.
What makes a good DJ, great?

Nick: I think its all down to reading the crowd.  It’s so easy for anyone these days to go onto Beatport, download the top 20 tracks in a certain genre and turn up to a club with a pre-worked out set of bangers.  Trouble is, if the crowd aren’t into the 20 tracks the DJ has chosen and the dance floor clears, he’s in toruble!  I’m always shocked when I see big DJ’s totally misread the crowd and not adapting their set accordingly.  At the end of the day a DJ is there to entertain, not try and educate and be cool.

Andi: You also have to understand the progression of a night. Where has the art of the warm up DJ gone? We started our careers as residents at Gatecrasher in Sheffield, playing house, prog and techno to a trance crowd and warming up for people like Tiesto and Paul Van Dyk. You have to understand that to make a really AMAZING night, you have to ease a crowd into it, and (a massive cliché but still true) take them on a journey. If you’ve learned the basics, understand the dynamics of a dancefloor and know what the crowd wants a certain point in the night, you’re probably set for when the big time calls.
How would you describe your style?

Nick: Interesting, different, eclectic house music.

What you working on in 2010?

Nick: It’s going to be our busiest year on all fronts from DJing, producing, radio and promoting our Electrik Playground parties.  The way things are it the moment, you have to work 5 times harder than you did maybe 3-4 years ago.  We are aiming for at least 1 single and remix a month, getting a tour of Asia sorted for Electrik playground, pushing and growing our EP label with a mix compilation and some big radio projects…

Andi: We’ve also got some really big secret projects in the oven at the moment, so hopefully by the end of 2010 people will be shocked at what we’re up to.

He founded the now legendary SUBLIMINAL RECORDS empire in 1997 and released his first artist album worldwide in 2004, entitled “My World”. The success of the first single “Break Down The Doors” led to Erick’s debut music video, featuring a cameo by supermodel Naomi Campbell. He has also found commercial success with Reel 2 Real’s hit “I Like To Move It” featured in “Madagascar 1 & 2″.

Raised in Colombia and New Jersey, Erick started DJing at the age of 11 and was soon inducted into the house fraternity through his friend Marc Anthony. He has won numerous prestigious awards along the way such as “Best International DJ 2002″ and “Best House DJ 1999 / 2001″ and is as comfortable behind the camera as he is behind the decks, appearing on MTV UK and as host of MTV Ibiza for two consecutive years in addition to starring in a seven part series for Channel 4.

Spring 2010 is going to be busy for Erick as he launches his new album “Playboy Compilation” as well as his first foray into fashion; a limited edition capsule collection of laptop cases and luggage. The Erick Morillo for knomo collaboration launches exclusively at Selfridges and Apple online.
knomo Team Up With Superstar International DJ Erick Morillo for Stunning SS10 Collection

Bored with being a clone on the 9-5 commute? For spring 2010, why not stand out from the crowd and showcase your style status with an ‘Erick Morillo for knomo’ laptop bag from the must-have Brixton range.

knomo’s Brixton collection embodies the very nature of the London area it is named after; kooky and cool with a fresh yet relaxed take on design. Favoured by creative’s, style aficionados and budding musicians, the Brixton range is ideal for stylish men. With this in mind, knomo wanted to create something special and enlisted the help of one of the most fashionable men in music, legendary house music DJ and Producer Erick Morillo.

Erick has been a heavy-hitter on the music scene since the late 1980’s achieving massive hits like Reel 2 Real’s “I Like To Move It.” His laptop plays an integral role, whether producing new music or DJ’ing to crowds of thousands, so Erick knows exactly what he needs when it comes to a laptop bag.

Designed for practicality, the Erick Morillo collection consists of 4 bag styles including a Saxby Slim messenger, Riley tote and Lincoln and Tokyo slim briefcases; along with stunning NEW luggage pieces the Lisbon trolley, Berlin Weekender and Berlin gym bag; all in waxy coated canvas with soft leather trim. The bags are offered in 2 colour choices: an Ibiza-bright, sunshine yellow shiny canvas, with black leather trim; and a sophisticated matte grey canvas with brown leather trim. Each reflects a mood and adaptability- subtle and sophisticated by day, loud and crowd-pleasing DJ by night.

“My laptop and equipment are essential to my work - travelling constantly, I need something practical yet fashionable to see me around the world. I’m delighted to be working with Knomo on this collaboration”. Erick Morillo

As an added bonus, every bag from the Erick Morillo collection will include an exclusive compilation CD with some little-known EM tracks and some new tunes by up-and-coming artists on his label - a must for all die-hard fans!

So whether you kick it old skool with records and decks or you let your mouse do the mixing, there is a style for every budding DJ; and if you prefer to leave it to the professionals, grab yourself a bold and unashamedly stylish bag from the ‘Erick Morillo for knomo’ collection.

The ingenious tracker tag in each knomo can help you retrieve your laptop should you lose it (see unique Tracker ID in every bag, with freephone international number for the finder to call).

The ‘Erick Morillo for knomo’ range is stocked exclusively in Selfridges and will then roll out nationwide to stores including Harrods, Apple, Fenwick and John Lewis; or see www.knomo.com or www.erickmorillo.com

Little Britain star Matt Lucas has said he will not be appearing in the new series of Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer’s BBC show Shooting Stars.

The comedian, who has played giant baby George Dawes since it began in 1993, said he is "busy writing a new series".

In a statement he said: "I just couldn’t fit everything in this time, because we’ll be right in the middle of rehearsals and rewrites."

Filming for the comedy panel quiz is scheduled to start in the spring.

"I love being on the show and love working with Vic and Bob and the whole team," Lucas said.

"Of course I’ll be watching, and I hope we can all do something together again soon."

Lucas, who went on to make Little Britain with David Walliams after Shooting Stars originally ended in 2002, kept the scores from behind his drumkit, while dressed in a giant babygro.

The show returned to BBC Two last year after a 15-year break.

Reeves and Mortimer will continue to present, with original team captain Ulrika Jonsson returning along with comedian Jack Dee and Angelos Epithemiou.

"We are really looking forward to the new series. We remain determined to try and cheer Jack up, we can’t wait to see what Ulrika’s going to look like once the surgeon has finally finished tinkering with her and we both hope Angelos is just going to turn up on time," Mortimer joked.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Musician Pete Doherty has been banned from driving for 12 months after admitting allowing his manager to use his Daimler car without insurance.

His lawyer entered the guilty plea to magistrates in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

It relates to an incident in Hadleigh, Suffolk, last September, in which a pedestrian was critically injured.

Doherty’s manager Andrew Boyd, 42, of London admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident and was jailed for 12 months.

Boyd also admitted driving without a licence or insurance during a hearing at Ipswich Crown Court last month.

Chris Corder, 43, of Hadleigh, Suffolk, suffered "catastrophic" brain injuries and was left in a coma after the crash, the court heard.

The court was told Boyd’s four-year-old son was in the back of the car at the time.

Police later found the car in a body repair shop in London.

Lowestoft magistrates also fined the Babyshambles singer £500.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Uplifting house classic Shine On returns to Cayenne Records just in time for Miami! Originally released by Degrees of Motion back in 1992, Shine On became the definite anthem for a generation of house lovers. Achieving huge success in the scene thanks to ‘that’ piano riff and the outstanding vocals of Biti, house connoisseur and Kidology founder Mark Wilkinson brings this classic bang up to date for the new clubbing season.

Wilkinson’s history reads like a house music bible. DJing in over 65 countries and counting plus producing under half a dozen monikers alongside his own name, Mark also runs the hugely successful club brands Kidology and Ibiza Republik who will be appearing on the terrace at Space Ibiza this summer.

Since ‘Problem Kids’ (a production outfit with Xpress2’s Rocky in the 90’s), Mark has released on some quality labels including Junior Boys Own, Paper Recordings, Defected and Azuli plus launching his own label Kidology Records. His remix of Lou Reed’s Satellite of Love scored him a UK top 10-chart success back in 2004 under the guise Dab Hands. Other hits included Supergood and DYOT that continued to do the damage on the dancefloor and airwaves, whilst club night Kidology went from strength to strength. Kidology’s ethos is about putting the ‘party’ feeling back into club land- it’s outrageous, flamboyant, and friendly, and encompasses a special brand of ‘glam silliness’ with the help of the Kiddettes - a group of outgoing ladies who keep the party vibes strong throughout the night.

After beating Rheumatic Disease, Mark maintains a highly positive outlook on life, aiming to raise £1,000,000 for charity by running a series of marathons. After the dreary year of 2009, he decided to do a re-rub of this feel good anthem for 2010.

Shine On comes with three stunning mixes from Mark, the Vocal Mix for that real hands in the air moment, a stripped back Dub Mix to impress any dancefloor to full effect and a Radio Edit.

Whether you are going to Miami, Ibiza or having a party at home, watch this classic continue to Shine On through 2010 and beyond!

http://www.djmarkwilkinson.com
www.kidologylondon.com
www.cayennerecordings.com

Hernan Cattaneo both epitomises and defines the term ‘global DJ’ after 20 years as a force within electronic music. From his early tribal and progressive sets at Clubland in Buenos Aires to later residencies for global brand Cream in South America, Liverpool and Ibiza, Hernan also toured with Paul Oakenfold that led to performances at some of the world’s biggest festivals including Burning Man in Nevada, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver and South West Four in London. With releases on John Digweed’s Bedrock and Paul Oakenfold’s Pefecto imprints and of course his must have instalments of the Renaissance Masters Series and subsequent two Renaissance ‘Sequential’ mixes, Cattaneo really is the crËme of the crop… and we can’t wait to have him back for another sure-fire legendary appearance set at The Gallery.

Joining him will be one of our long serving legends Nick Warren. Having smashed Ministry of Sound’s 18th Birthday along with Sasha back in September as well as putting on a huge Way out West (Live) show last year; Nick continues to travel the world over wowing fans wherever and whenever he appears. Tonight will be no exception as he gets back the decks at the world famous Ministry of Sound for another of his prog infused sets guaranteed to get everyone all in a lather!!

We welcome a Gallery debut for one of the rapidly rising buzz names in dance music Henry Saiz. Henry is already well known in his native Spain, with his productions, amazing live sets and his residency at the Cassette Club, one of the best underground clubs in Madrid.

2007 was a breakthrough year for this young star, taking his live show around Europe whilst his original productions on esteemed Spanish labels Natura Sonoris, Paradigma Musik & Software, were picked up by no less than John Digweed for his recent compilation: Transitions Vol.4. Such was Digweed’s belief in the Henry’s production talents that he cherry-picked him to remix his track ‘Gridlock’, which was released on Renaissance Recordings earlier this year. He recently signed for Renaissance Label and we cannot wait to welcome him to The Gallery for his debut!

The Bar meanwhile welcomes the third outing of one of our brand new residencies here at The Gallery in the shape of DAT Soundsystem. This new DJ concept has been brought to life by friends and now established artists Anil Chawla, Dale Anderson and Tim Davison - who all first met each other at Turnmills. The Gallery was rocked to its core by their debut appearance back in May and the talented trio as will again embark on a 6 hour back-to-back-to-back this Friday. Welcome to the future!

Box
Hernan Cattaneo
Nick Warren
Henry Siaz - Gallery Debut
Rebekah
The Viceroy

Bar - D.A.T SoundSystem
Anil Chawla
Tim Davison
Dale Anderson
James Burgess B2B JIM

Baby Box - Spinning Quickly
Just Stu
Alvin
James Hughes
I Love My DJ
Dim Sum
Marc Grant

Loft - Playedoh
Sean Scott
Nick Dubz
Lewis James Brown
Steve Worrell
Paolo Panella
Tred Benedict

10.30pm - late

Contact: 020 3189 0076 // 020 7740 8627 // gavyn@thegallery-club.co.uk
Prices: £10 NUS & Members // £13 Advance // £15 on the door // £6 after 3am
(Unless stated otherwise)

Advanced Tickets: www.ministryofsound.com/tickets
www.residentadvisor.net

www.thegallery-club.co.uk
www.ministryofsound.com/club
www.myspace.com/thegalleryclubuk

Almost 200 shows broadcast on Welsh TV channel S4C last month attracted zero viewers, according to a report.

The Western Mail claimed leaked figures showed 196 out of 890 programmes in a three week period had less than 1,000 viewers - an official zero.

S4C chairman, John Walter Jones, said it was important to consider the wider contribution of the channel to Wales.

The Welsh-language broadcaster is funded by a grant of more than £100m a year from the UK government.

Most of the programmes with a zero viewer rating were children’s shows, the newspaper added.

The channel broadcasts children’s shows such as cartoons Sali Mali and Igam Ogam, voiced by actor Ioan Gruffudd.

Target audience

But Mr Walter Jones said children aged under four were not counted in the official figures compiled the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (Barb).

He said: "The majority of programmes referred to are pre-school children’s programmes.

"Barb, the body that measures viewing figures cannot take account of children under the age of four - the target audience for these programmes. So the viewing of these programmes cannot be measured accurately."

He added: "The contribution S4C makes to the Welsh language, Welsh culture and the Welsh economy has to be considered on a much broader basis than individual statistical information which can be misleading and misconstrued."

Mr Walter Jones also said more people were tuning in to Welsh language programmes on S4C this year than during the same period of 2009.

Barb declined to comment.

S4C, launched in 1982 and is based in Cardiff. It broadcasts more than 80 hours of Welsh language programmes on a variety of platforms, including television and broadband.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Oliver Stone’s sequel to 1987 hit Wall Street will not be in cinemas for another six months after film studio bosses pushed back the release date.

Money Never Sleeps was scheduled to open on 23 April in the UK and US, but has now been held until 24 September.

It is hoped the film will instead have a gala screening at the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The movie sees Michael Douglas reprise his Oscar-winning role as ruthless stockbroker Gordon Gekko.

Transformers actor Shia LaBeouf also stars in the film, alongside Josh Brolin and Oscar-nominated actress Carey Mulligan who plays Gekko’s daughter.

According to Variety, 20th Century Fox bosses said the film was better suited for an autumn than summer release, with the delay helping to avoid the crowded summer box office months.

It would also benefit from a global promotional push following the Cannes Film Festival and gives Stone extra time to polish the film.

Stone’s film picks up 23 years after his first one left off and sees Gekko, who has just been released from prison, try to warn Wall Street of the impending financial collapse.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Blue Peter dog Mabel - one of the show’s longest-serving pets - is to retire after 14 years, programme bosses have announced.

The border collie cross - the first rescue dog to become a regular fixture on the BBC show - will make her final appearance on 30 March.

Presenters Andy Akinwolere, Helen Skelton and Joel Defries broke the news of her departure on Wednesday’s show.

"With mixed emotions we are going to be saying goodbye to Mable," said Defries.

"She’ll be retiring at the end of the month and we’re going to give her a massive, massive send off," he added.

Viewers of the show are being asked to send in poems, pictures and letters for Mabel, to mark her time on the show.

During her career Mabel has starred alongside 14 different presenters, starting with Katy Hill, Stuart Miles and Tim Vincent.

She first featured on the programme in January 1996 during a film item about the RSPCA and she officially joined the show a month later.

Her name was based on RSPCA inspector Mark Buggie’s initials, who drove her to the studio.

Mabel, who is the second longest-serving dog on the CBBC show after Petra’s 15-year appearance, will spend her retirement at home living with a former member of the production team.

"It will be a sad day for us all when we have to bid a fond farewell to our studio mate Mabel. We all wish her a very happy retirement," Skelton said.

"Mabel is a legend. She has spent 98 dog years working on Blue Peter and we will all miss her dearly," Defries added.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The Lost Boys actor Corey Haim was a "tormented soul", friend and fellow actor Corey Feldman has said.

Paying tribute to the star, Feldman said he wept when he heard Haim had died at a California hospital on Wednesday aged 38.

"This is a tragic loss of a wonderful, beautiful, tormented soul, who will always be my brother, family, and best friend," he said in a statement.

A post-mortem is due to be held to determine the cause of death.

Troy Searer, an executive producer of the short lived reality show The Two Coreys starring Haim and Feldman, said Haim’s "heart and his potential were only outmatched by his demons".

The assistant chief of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, told local television reporters Haim had been suffering flu-like symptoms.

Ed Winter said Haim’s mother, who lived with the actor, called paramedics after he collapsed while getting out of bed at his apartment. He later died at Providence St Joseph Medical Center.

Winter added coroners found some prescription medication in Haim’s apartment but "no illicit drugs".

After battling drug abuse for years, Haim openly talked about overcoming his addictions around the time he was promoting his reality TV series in 2006, saying he had become clean and sober.

The Canadian-born star’s first role was in the 1984 film Firstborn and came to prominence in the 1986 movie Lucas alongside Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder.

The star told The Sun in 1994 it was while filming The Lost Boys opposite Kiefer Sutherland in 1987 he discovered drugs.

He admitted his drug habit damaged his career and the star later went into rehab and was put on prescription drugs.

However his career outlook had been improving in recent months - the actor appeared in Crank 2: High Voltage last year and had been promoting his latest film, American Sunset.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

R&B star Taio Cruz has set the record for the biggest jump to the top of US Billboard Hot 100 for an act’s first charting single.

Break Your Heart, featuring Ludacris, soared from 53th place to reach the top slot for the British artist.

The track sold 273,000 downloads this week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, against 31,000 sales over three days last week.

Break Your Heart topped the UK singles chart for three weeks in September.

The singer and producer has worked with a whole list of stars, including Tinchy Stryder, Cheryl Cole, McFly, Will Young and Kylie Minogue.

Cruz’s second album Rokstarr was released in the UK in October, where it reached number 14 in the album chart.

It will be out in the US later this year.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Take That star Mark Owen has said he is "deeply sorry" after admitting he cheated on his partner of five years, before they married in 2009.

Owen, 38, told the Sun newspaper he had been unfaithful with several women during his relationship with Emma Ferguson, the mother of his children.

But he insisted he had been faithful since marrying Ms Ferguson.

In a statement he said: "I’m so deeply sorry for the pain my actions have caused my family and friends."

Phenomenal success

The singer, who has two children with Ferguson, added: "I’d like to ask the media to please respect the privacy of my wife and children during this difficult time."

Owen, who won Celebrity Big Brother in 2002, admitted the affairs to his wife on Wednesday and his confession was published in Thursday’s edition of the paper.

"I have been living with the guilt. It has always been there - you carry it around with you," he said.

"The wedding for me was a new slate and a new start. In my head there was never a time when I was doubting getting married"

Mark Owen

"It held me back in my relationship with Emma. I wouldn’t have done any of this if I had my time again.

"I am halfway through my life now and this, in a way, is a lesson. You’ve got to learn and that’s what I am going to do."

The star, who has enjoyed phenomenal success with Take That since they reunited in 2005, said he was "proud" of the fact he had not cheated since tying the knot.

"I know that sounds really stupid but on our wedding day, for me the ring is really important and I want to be true to my word."

The couple married at Cawdor Parish Church, near Inverness in Scotland, followed by a reception at Cawdor Castle.

"It was a big moment for me, my wedding day," Owen said.

"The wedding for me was a new slate and a new start. In my head there was never a time when I was doubting getting married."

The Take That star has confessed that one one of the affairs, with accounts manager Neva Hanley, went on for more than four years, but it ended just before he got married.

Owen has also admitted his heavy drinking had caused problems with his relationship with Ferguson.

"I love her to death but our relationship hasn’t always been great because of me. She has tried really hard to support me.

"Life was hard, I guess. I let Emma down. I was selfish and stubborn. Everything that has happened to me I have brought on myself. If ever we argued it was down to me."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

By Mark Savage
BBC News entertainment reporter

Some groups achieve overnight success. Others have to wait decades before they find their audience. Texan rockers Spoon fall firmly into the latter category.

Seven albums into their career, they can finally fill venues like New York’s Radio City Hall in the States, but remain relatively unknown in the UK.

Despite their anonymity, the band were declared the "best-reviewed act of the 2000s" by US website Metacritic last December, after its editors compared a decade of critical opinions on more than 7,000 albums.

Spoon’s latest release, Transference, came out shortly afterwards, with frontman Britt Daniel describing it as an "uglier record" than its predecessors.

Largely ditching the straightforward, melodical approach of their previous work, it focuses on atmospheric grooves, cut-up vocals and austere, moody soundscapes.

Nonetheless, it has seen the band retain their reputation for critical consistency.

It gave the quartet their first top five chart placing in the US - and has brought the group greater attention in the UK, where such acoustic experimentation is more warmly welcomed by rock fans.

"It does seem like there’s more going on here, for once" says Daniel drily.

"Maybe people want to hear more of that experimental thing right now, or it could be the back catalogue catching up with people.

"There’s a case to be made that people want to hear stuff that blows their minds."

Transference is certainly a headphones record, drawing you into its sonic universe with the textured, rhythmic opener Before Destruction, before veering off into spiky garage pop on The Mystery Zone and raging, bitter anger on the piano-pounding single Written In Reverse.

Many of the songs are based around demos Daniel recorded "in the basement", and retain a scratchy lo-fi immediacy that is generally missing from big rock records.

"Sometimes it’s hard to beat those first, spontaneous takes," Daniel says.

"We used to take the demos into the studio and try to reconstruct them, but there’s an awareness that you never really can capture it the same way again."

"Are we incapable of making a bad album Probably not, but I don’t want to find out"

Britt Daniel on his band’s critical reception

However, he concedes, there was a "a long-standing war" between the band and their producer, Mike McCarthy, about how much of the demos they could use.

"Mike is an engineer and a producer at the same time and he probably wanted the fidelity to be as good as possible," Daniel explains - before adding "and he probably wanted to give himself something to do".

Broken deal

Spoon were formed in 1993 by Daniels and drummer Jim Eno. The name came from a song by German artrock outfit Can.

"If I’d known I was going to be in a band for more than 18 months I wouldn’t have called it that," the singer deadpans, 17 years later.

They spent a decade on the brink of breaking into the mainstream, including a disastrous stint with major label Elektra - who got cold feet and dropped the band after just one album.

It was, curiously, teen drama The OC which gave the quartet a much-needed boost, after nabbing the ragged funk of The Way We Get By to soundtrack one of its more affecting will they / won’t they romantic liaisons.

That kickstarted the band’s decade-long run as critical darlings - something which Daniel finds vaguely amusing.

"Are we incapable of making a bad album Probably not, but I don’t want to find out," he muses.

"I don’t think we’ve made any particularly bad records, but I don’t particularly like listening to our first one.

"We played some of the songs from it on tour a couple of years ago, but they seemed to be about as well-received as the first time around."

‘Goofy’

There is a sardonic, self-deprecating tone to the 38-year-old’s conversation.

He is reluctant to talk at length, as though he’s afraid he’ll run out of words. Certain questions are (politely) dismissed out of hand.

"Why is this album moody" he responds to one line of inquiry. "Maybe I was just feeling moody."

In part, the singer is wary of falling into cliche. When he momentarily forgets himself and mentions "the spirit of rock’n'roll", Daniel pauses, reassesses and dismisses his comments as "goofy".

Similarly, when recording the video for Written In Reverse, the star went to great lengths to avoid hackneyed rock conventions.

"Lip-syncing is like acting, and I’m no good at that," he explains. "We wanted something spontaneous."

The video doesn’t quite sidestep cliche (it’s recorded in "authentic" black and white, for one) but it does perfectly capture the rolling, rickety groove the band have mastered on their seventh album.

"I came up with a bunch of songs that got on something and stayed on it," Daniels explains, "rather than trying to make their mark with a bunch of fancy chords and little bit parts".

"It’s a sort of song we hadn’t really tried too much of before and I wanted to see if we could pull it off."

And did they succeed

"Yes, I think we pulled it off."

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Comedian Roy "Chubby" Brown hit a woman in the face during a foul-mouthed dispute in a Teesside supermarket car park, a court has heard.

The comic is said to have hit 21-year-old Kelly Oliver after almost colliding with her grandmother’s car in Middlesbrough last September.

Brown, 65 and charged under his real name Royston Vasey, denied common assault at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.

The comedian, of Northallerton, is known for his explicit sexual material.

Ticket machine

Viviene Turner, prosecuting, said Brown reacted angrily after Miss Oliver watched him reverse his silver Lexus within an inch of her grandmother’s car in the car of park of the Middlesbrough town centre branch of Sainsbury’s on 2 September.

The court heard he wound down his window and swore at her.

Miss Oliver, now six months pregnant, said she did not respond.

She claims when she walked over to a ticket machine, Brown got out of his car and began shouting at her.

Brown is then said to have hit her with his right hand on the left side of her face.

The court heard Brown drove off when Miss Oliver’s grandmother said she would note down his registration number.

The court was told Brown admitted in 1996 to common assault occasioning actual bodily harm against his ex-wife, for which he was fined £300 and ordered to pay compensation.

Miss Oliver had two cautions relating to violent incidents and failed to comply with a dispersal notice in 2008, the court heard.

The case continues.

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Singer Charlotte Church has agreed a £2m deal with an investment company to finance the recording of her next album, it has been confirmed.

Specialist music investment company Power Amp Music, which launched in 2008, will bankroll the recording and marketing of the star’s next album.

Church said the deal gives her more "control and ownership" over what happens in her career.

Power Amp also funded Madness’ 2009 album The Liberty Of Norton Folgate.

‘Clear vision’

Church said she was "delighted" to sign the deal, adding: "This is a wonderful time to be a recording artist."

"It provides me with a financial commitment equivalent to that of a major record company."

Power Amp Power founder Tom Bywater said: ""Charlotte had a clear vision of what she wanted to do and we have provided the funding for her to achieve those ambitions while allowing her to retain full creative control and copyright ownership."

Church rose to fame aged 12 as a classical crossover singer, scoring a smash hit with her debut album Voice of an Angel.

After three more classical albums, she moved into pop in 2005 with Tissues and Issues, which went to number five in the UK album chart.

In 2006, she launched a TV career fronting her own Channel 4 chat show.

In recent years Church has focused on bringing up her two young children with rugby player partner Gavin Henson.

Last month it was announced she would be making a return to TV as part of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new talent search programme, Over The Rainbow.

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The Lost Boys actor Corey Haim has died aged 38, the Los Angeles coroner’s office has confirmed.

A spokeswoman said he passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning at Providence St Joseph Medical Centre.

A post-mortem will determine the cause of death and no other details have been released as yet.

The Canadian-born star’s first role was in the 1984 hit Firstborn. In recent years, he appeared in reality TV show The Two Coreys.

The series, which also starred Haim’s friend Corey Feldman, was cancelled in 2008 after two series.

The pair, who both have battled drug problems in the past, starred in the 1988 movie License to Drive together and became well known for their on and off screen partnership.

After Firstborn, Haim landed a role in the 1985 TV movie A Time to Live and also appeared in several episodes of the TV show Roomies.

He went on to become a teen heartthrob after starring in the 1986 film Lucas, alongside Charlie Sheen and Winona Ryder.

Haim starred alongside Kiefer Sutherland in The Lost Boys, about a group of friends who do battle with a band of teenage vampires.

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Coronation Street actress Beverley Callard has revealed she has been receiving treatment for depression.

The 52-year-old actress, who plays Rovers landlady Liz McDonald, was absent from the soap for five months last year after a "serious breakdown".

She was treated at the Priory Clinic at the time and remains an outpatient at the facility.

Callard has now teamed up with mental health charity Mind to raise awareness of mental health issues.

The actress, reported to be "well on the road to recovery", said: "I feel it is really important to try and help lift the stigma that makes life so difficult for the one in four people who experience mental health problems."

‘Reach for help’

She thanked her friends, family and colleagues for their support and the media for respecting her privacy during her illness.

"Being able to recover out of the media spotlight has hugely helped me and meant that I could return to work last year whilst still receiving treatment as an outpatient.

"Now I feel able to speak about what I went through and thank everyone for their support," she said.

Paul Farmer, chief executive officer of Mind, said: "The support Bev received from her friends, family and ITV had a huge part to play in the steps she took back to good health.

"We encourage anyone who may be suffering in silence to reach out for help and urge those that they turn to, to be there for them without judgment."

A spokeswoman for Coronation Street said: "Everyone at ITV has been behind Beverley through this very difficult time.

"We are extremely proud of the huge progress she has made and delighted that she is back on screen at the centre of the show and we continue to support her."

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Florence and the Machine is to headline her first major festival, topping the bill at the Latitude event in July.

Florence Welch, who won best British album at the Brit Awards last month, has graduated to headline status after breaking through last summer.

Latitude organiser Melvin Benn booked her in September. "We were so sure that she would come through as being as strong as she is," he told BBC 6 Music.

Florence will be joined on the bill by Belle & Sebastian and Vampire Weekend.

Empire of the Sun, The XX, The Horrors and Charlotte Gainsbourg will be among the other musical acts on offer.

Known for its broad cultural agenda, the festival will also host performances from the Royal Opera House, the Royal Shakespeare Company, author Bret Easton Ellis, poet Wendy Cope and a half-hour excerpt of Hair: The Musical.

"There is a genuine guilty pleasure," Mr Benn said, referring to Hair.

The three-day event, which was headlined by the Pet Shop Boys, Nick Cave and Grace Jones in 2009, attracts 30,000 fans a year.

"I intend to make sure it doesn’t become too big," Mr Benn said. "It’s growing at the rate that it should grow at. It’s about right."

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Troubled record company EMI has named former ITV boss Charles Allen as its new chairman.

Mr Allen was already non-executive chairman at the firm, whose artists include Lily Allen, Robbie Williams, Katy Perry and Coldplay.

EMI also said chief executive Elio Leoni-Sceti would leave at the end of the month after two-and-a-half years.

EMI, which had annual losses of £1.75bn, has been hit by illegal downloading and falling album sales.

‘Great business’

It is not clear who will replace the outgoing chief executive, who said: "My job here is now done and it is time for me to move on".

Mr Allen praised the work of Mr Leoni-Sceti, who he said had done "a great job".

"Our goals for EMI Music remain the same. I will support and guide the group’s strong team, keep EMI’s focus on creativity… and deliver a digital platform," he said.

"This is a great business - our task is to ensure it has a great future."

EMI at the centre of a legal dispute between private equity owner Terra Firma and US bank Citigroup.

Terra Firma is seeking billions in damages linked to its £4bn purchase of EMI in 2007.

Its boss Guy Hands accuses the bank of inflating the price of the firm by not revealing that the only other bidder, Cerberus Capital Management, had withdrawn.

Citigroup is contesting the claim, saying it will defend its role in the proceedings "vigorously".

Job cuts

EMI is now the smallest of the fou