BBC News - Entertainment & Arts

26 September 2010 Last updated at 08:56 ET

Actors told to avoid Hobbit films

Seven global actors' unions tell their members not to take roles in the big-budget Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit.

The fashion designer Catherine Walker, whose clothes were favoured by Diana, Princess of Wales, has died at the age of 65, her family has said.

Strawberry Hill re-opens

Walpole's house stands out like Lady Gaga in a school choir
The new reality
Monet grabbing

Crawford takes Wizard Of Oz role

Singer Michael Crawford is to star in The Wizard Of Oz, as he once again teams up with Andrew Lloyd Webber, it is announced.
'Arts bodies can't be squeamish'
Wilde letters are sold at auction

Nazi film is released in Germany

A controversial new movie telling the story behind an anti-Semitic film made by the Nazis is released in Germany.
Oldman to play Le Carre's Smiley
Blockbuster files for bankruptcy

US singer Eddie Fisher dies at 82

US singer Eddie Fisher, who sold millions of records in the 50s and was married to Elizabeth Taylor and Debbie Reynolds, dies at 82.
Verve drummer to join Charlatans
Fan arrested outside Madonna home

UK sitcom wins Rose d'Or TV award

Channel 4 show The Inbetweeners is named best sitcom at the prestigious Rose d'Or television festival in Lucerne, Switzerland.
New American Idol judges revealed
DJ Moyles plays down pay tirade

Murphy's law

Glee creator Ryan Murphy on directing Julia Roberts (and some troublesome ice cream) in Eat, Pray, Love
Calling all corsets

ITV plunges into costume drama with Downton Abbey
In pictures

Art owned by collapsed banking giant Lehman Brothers up for sale
Doddering on

Ken Dodd says he has no plans to hang up his tickling stick Newsnight
Comic in Congress

What was satirist Stephen Colbert doing in the US House?
Brassed off?

Britain's brass bands march to shake off their cloth cap image
Fading away

Some unconventional ways to end a song
To be, or not to be?

Four ways to make a classic line sound fresh