Obituary: Mitch Mitchell

Mitch Mitchell (right) performed on Hendrix classics such as Are You Experienced? Electric Ladyland and Axis: Bold As Love

Mitch Mitchell, the British drummer in the seminal 1960s band the Jimi Hendrix Experience, has been found dead in his US hotel room.

His frenetic drumming was the bedrock of Hendrix's music. Mitchell treated the drums more like a lead instrument than the rhythm section.

The late 61-year-old provided a brilliant counterpoint for Hendrix's unique guitar sound.

But Mitchell's career faltered after Hendrix died in 1970.

He never quite recaptured the heights achieved with the Experience.

Established reputation

Born in Ealing, west London on 9 July 1947, John 'Mitch' Mitchell taught himself to play drums as a boy.

He honed his skills while working in Jim Marshall's music shop in central London.

By his late teens Mitchell had established a reputation as a session musician, playing with a number of bands including the Tornados.

We met in this sleazy club. We did some Chuck Berry and took it from there. I suppose it worked Mitch Mitchell on meeting Jimi Hendrix

His big break came when he joined Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames, a well-established jazz based outfit.

In 1966, he was invited to audition for a new band being formed to back Hendrix, who had arrived in the UK as a complete unknown.

"We met in this sleazy club," he later recalled. "We did some Chuck Berry and took it from there. I suppose it worked."

Together with bassist Noel Redding, the band became one of the innovators of the 'power trio' style of rock.

This format allowed Mitchell to indulge his extrovert style, and contribute far more to the band than the traditional drummer's role as a timekeeper.

As well as the music, the band set out to make a visual statement, with psychedelic clothes and outrageous perms.

Power trio

The band really hit the headlines with their performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, when Hendrix set fire to his guitar.

Mitchell played on all five of the Hendrix hit singles, including Hey Joe and Purple Haze, as well as the bands three best-selling albums.

But Hendrix was feeling constrained by the power trio format, and the band broke up after their performance at the Denver Pop Festival in June 1969.

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Mitch Mitchell performing in 1969

Mitchell returned two months later as part of a new, much bigger, line-up which backed Hendrix at Woodstock.

He played in a brief reincarnation of the three-man Experience in 1970 but any thoughts of repeating earlier success ended when Hendrix died later that year.

Mitchell worked on a number of uncompleted Hendrix tracks - which were later released - before forming his own band with limited success.

Mitchell and Redding had been paid a salary by Hendrix 's manager and were not entitled to any royalties from the recordings.

And by the mid 1970's Mitchell was facing severe financial problems, and the work was drying up.

He failed the audition for Paul McCartney's new band, Wings, and spent the following 20 years doing low-key session work.

Just five days before his death he had been playing a series of dates with the Experience Jimi Hendrix tour in the US, reaching a new generation of fans.

Mitchell brought the concept of drums as a lead instrument from jazz, to set a new trend in rock music.

His style blended perfectly with Hendrix's revolutionary playing, to create a sound that is still unique in rock music.

Midnight's Children to be a film

By Prachi Pinglay BBC News, Mumbai

The novel has received worldwide acclaim

Sir Salman Rushdie's 1981 novel about Indian independence, Midnight's Children, is to be made into a movie by the prominent director Deepa Mehta.

The author says that he is willing to work with Ms Mehta, an Indian-born Canadian, to co-write the script. Work is expected to begin next year with hopes that the film will be released in 2010.

In July, the novel won the UK's "Best of the Booker" in a popular vote.

The book tells the story of Saleem Sinai, who was born on the stroke of Indian independence day in 1947.

Sir Salman and Ms Mehta made the announcement at a recent event in New York during the annual Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival.

'Colossal blow'

"I'm delighted that my friend Deepa Mehta has agreed to make a film of Midnight's Children. Her passion for the book, combined with her immense talent as a filmmaker, means that my novel has been placed in the best possible hands. I also look forward to working with her on the screenplay," Sir Salman said in a press statement on the MIACC website.

Rushdie also won the Booker of Bookers award in 1993

In 1997, Sir Salman reacted angrily to a decision by the government in Sri Lanka not to allow the BBC to film an adaptation of his novel Midnight's Children there.

He described it as a colossal blow and said those who objected to the film did not object to the novel, but to him personally.

Published in 1981, Midnight's Children is a fictional memoir. Saleem is one of 1001 children born at the stroke of midnight on 15 August 1947, the very moment of India's independence.

Saleem's life is uncannily intertwined with destiny of the country. The story spans a period of 30 years from 1947 ending with the emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1977.

The novel continues to enjoy critical acclaim and is popular across a wide age range.

Sir Salman is the author of several essays, short stories and novels - including his most controversial work, The Satanic Verses, which angered many Muslims and led to death threats against him from Iran.

He was knighted for his services to literature in 2007.

India-born Ms Mehta is now based in Canada. Her elemental trilogy Fire, Earth and Water was Canada's official entry for Oscars.

She has roped in her favourite Indian actors, Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi to play important roles in Midnight's Children.

"I have been aware of the project for a while now and Deepa had recently gotten in touch with me about playing Padma in Midnight's children. I am looking forward to working with Deepa again and being part of such a wonderful story," Ms Das said.

A close shave with Grange Hill's Zammo

by Genevieve Hassan Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Zammo prepares for the hairstyling

It's not often that one can say they went to a salon and had their hair styled by Zammo from Grange Hill.

But thanks to Children in Need and Celebrity Scissorhands, I can utter those immortal words.

The celebrity hairdressing show has returned for a third series and Lee Macdonald - better known as Zammo 'Just-say-no' McGuire - is one of the stars clasping the crimpers for charity.

I wasn't brave enough to let him take a pair of scissors to my barnet - after all, this is a guy with no training who now runs a locksmiths - so I opted for a 'hair styling', or an 'up-do' as they call it in the hairdressing trade.

Ponytail trouble

As I entered the salon, I was greeted by fellow trainee and BBC Switch presenter Jeff Leach, who was manning the reception desk.

All clients who visit the Celebrity Scissors salon are asked to donate to Children in Need - no matter how they suffer - so, after handing in my contribution, I was introduced to Zammo who is quite possibly one of the most relentlessly chirpy people I've ever met.

I sat myself down in what I thought would be the medieval chair of hairdressing torture while Zammo went off to get his box of tools.

They got me massaging and putting ointment on the nether regions of a bloke I've never seen before in my life - and I wasn't comfortable with it. Lee 'Zammo' Macdonald on his time on Celebrity Scissorhands

I was actually surprised by how professional all the celebrity trainees were - it was so much like being in a real hair salon that I soon forgot I was being filmed by the unobtrusive cameras.

When Zammo came back, he explained what style he was planning - and that he had just practiced it on another trainee, The Real Hustle's Jessica-Jane Clement, in the staff room.

"I'm scared to do it," he admitted, as he ran a comb through my hair. "It's taken me the longest out of everyone here - I'm just not creative."

"I think we're going to be here some time," he said worriedly.

It was a good job I had didn't have any appointments to keep, as it took the best part of 10 minutes just to tie my hair in a ponytail, after a flummoxed Zammo asked Jeff for advice and a helping hand at twirling the elastic band round a few times.

"I bet you're glad you didn't get a cut now aren't you?" he asked nervously.

I didn't want to admit it at the time but, yes, I was.

With half the job done, Zammo set about sectioning the ponytail to be rolled up and pinned to my head.

Body waxing

In true hairdresser style, he engaged in mildly intrusive small talk about my life and relationships.

Hair by Celebrity Scissorhands trainee Zammo.

We also chatted about his wedding in Las Vegas last year, Grange Hill and the boxing career he had to give up due to a serious car crash that left him with severe head injuries.

We then got onto the topic of his experience in the salon.

"When they first asked me to do it, I thought 'hair can't be that hard,'" he said.

"I thought in my head that I'd win this - but how wrong can one person be!

"The worst thing in here has got to be the body waxing," he said, as he stuck another pin into my head.

"They got me massaging and putting ointment on the nether regions of a bloke I've never seen before in my life - and I wasn't comfortable with it."

After a helping hand from Jessica, another dozen pins and being suffocated in a cloud of hairspray, Zammo decorated my new hairstyle with a Remembrance Day poppy and some red berries he'd pulled off a plant in the staff room.

"I'm really impressed with that," he said.

Zammo presents the finished 'up do'

"That's probably, if not the best thing I've done in here!" And he did sound genuinely quite proud of his creation.

On my way out of the salon, I asked Celebrity Scissorhands presenter George Lamb what he thought of my new hairdo.

"If it's not been put in that style to hide a bad cut, then it looks really nice - I didn't realise Zammo had done that," he said.

Scissorhands boss Lee Stafford agreed: "It's fallen down and collapsing a bit, but from Zammo, I'm impressed.

"For a boy who can't hold a pair of scissors, or a comb - or really do anything - it's good.

"It's frustrating teaching him because nothing's clicked into place, but he's been very enthusiastic and tries hard."

So it looks like I can be grateful not to have been wracked with tears on the bus home.

And at least I can say I had my hair coiffed by a celebrity and more importantly, helped raise money for a good cause.

The Celebrity Scissorhands finale will be broadcast at 2100GMT on 13 November on BBC Three. The Children In Need show begins on Friday 14 November from 1900GMT on BBC One.

Abdul 'shocked' over death of fan

Abdul has worked as a judge on the show since 2002

American Idol judge Paula Abdul said she was "shocked and saddened" after a woman, who once appeared on the hit US TV show, was found dead.

Detective Robert Bub, of Los Angeles police, said he thought Paula Goodspeed had died of "suicide by overdose".

The 30-year-old was discovered in a car alongside prescription drugs, CDs and pictures of pop star Abdul. The car was found near the singer's home.

It is believed Goodspeed was an obsessed fan of the pop star.

'Heart and prayers'

Abdul said in a statement, released by her publicist Jeff Ballard: "I am deeply shocked and saddened at what transpired yesterday.

"My heart and prayers go out to her family."

An official cause of death has yet to be determined.

Police found Ms Goodspeed's body on Tuesday evening in a car with the licence plate ABL LV.

Ms Goodspeed sang the Tina Turner hit Proud Mary in her 2005 audition

Her parents had reported her missing hours earlier and expressed concern that she might hurt herself.

Ms Goodspeed auditioned on series five of American Idol, but failed to reach the next round after receiving poor reviews from Abdul and fellow American Idol judges, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell.

She told the show's host, Ryan Seacrest, that she was a huge fan of Abdul and had created life-size paintings of the singer.

She also called Abdul "beautiful" after Cowell said he noticed a resemblance between Goodspeed and Abdul.

Dead Parrot sketch ancestor found

Monty Python's Dead Parrot sketch has topped comedy polls

An ancestor of Monty Python's famous Dead Parrot comedy sketch has been found in a joke book dating back to Greece in the 4th Century.

Philogelos: The Laugh Addict, which has been translated from Greek manuscripts, contains a joke where a man complains that a slave he was sold had died.

"When he was with me, he never did any such thing!" is the reply.

In the Python sketch, written 1,600 years later, the shopkeeper claims the dead parrot is "pining for the fjords".

The 265 jokes in Philogelos are attributed to a pair of jokers called Hierocles and Philagrius, about whom very little is known.

Similar themes

Their manuscripts have been published into a multimedia online e-book, which features video of veteran comic Jim Bowen bringing the old jokes back to life in front of a 21st Century audience.

Some of the jokes are strikingly similar to modern ones, with subjects including farts, sex, ugly wives and a dimwit referred to as "a student dunce".

"One or two of them are jokes I've seen in people's acts nowadays, slightly updated," said Bowen.

"They put in a motor car instead of a chariot - some of them are Tommy Cooper-esque," he added.

Jim Bowen performed the old jokes in front of a 21st Century audience.

Some jokes are likely to baffle modern audiences, however - especially the ones about lettuce, which only make sense if you share the ancient superstition that the vegetable is an aphrodisiac.

The book has been translated by William Berg, an American professor of Classics.

"The text of Philogelos comes to us from several manuscripts ranging from the 11th to the 15th Centuries," Berg said.

"All of them trace back to an earlier original, probably - judging from the content and language - from the 4th Century."

Other jokes in the book include:

• Someone needled a well-known wit: "I had your wife, without paying a penny". He replied: "It's my duty as a husband to couple with such a monstrosity. What made you do it?"

• An Abderite sees a eunuch talking with a woman and asks him if she's his wife. The guy responds that a eunuch is unable to have a wife. "Ah, so she's your daughter? "

• A misogynist is attending to the burial of his wife, who has just died, when someone asks: "Who is it who rests in peace here?". He answers: "Me, now that I'm rid of her!"

Swinton to head Berlin film jury

Swinton currently stars in Coen brothers' film Burn After Reading

Oscar-winning actress Tilda Swinton will head the international jury of the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, organisers have announced.

The 48-year-old will lead a panel of actors, film-makers and producers who will choose winners of the festival's coveted Golden and Silver Bear prizes.

The star won a best supporting actress Oscar earlier this year for her role as a ruthless lawyer in Michael Clayton.

The 59th annual Berlin Film Festival will run from 5 to 15 February.

"I'm pleased that the wonderful Tilda Swinton will be our jury president in 2009," said Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick in a statement.

"Her commanding screen presence has made an indelible impression on contemporary, innovative film-making."

Swinton made her screen debut in 1986 in Derek Jarman's Caravaggio, which won a Silver Bear prize at the festival.

Earlier this year, the actress founded, co-curated and produced a film festival in her hometown of Nairn, Scotland.

She can be currently seen in the Coen brothers' latest film, Burn After Reading, alongside George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Williams top turn at Charles show

By Liam Allen Entertainment reporter, BBC News

Williams is donating money from his UK shows to the Prince's Trust charity

Robin Williams has made a triumphant return to the British stage for Prince Charles's 60th birthday comedy show.

Williams, 57, in his first major UK appearance for 27 years, wowed an enthusiastic audience at the New Wimbledon Theatre in south London.

The comic, and co-stars including Rowan Atkinson and Bill Bailey, had Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry in hysterics at times.

BBC Radio 2 row actor Andrew Sachs appeared as Fawlty Towers' Manuel.

Sachs, who was the butt of lewd jokes made in prank calls by Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on Brand's radio show last month, appeared in a short sketch alongside his former Fawlty Towers co-star John Cleese - the host of Wednesday night's We Are Most Amused show.

"What is the 11th letter of the English alphabet?" asked Cleese after Sachs had unexpectedly bounded onto the stage dressed, with bow tie and moustache, as his Spanish waiter alter ego.

Prince Charles was joined in the circle by the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry

"Que?" replied Sachs, before falling over in true Manuel style.

It was perhaps the biggest laugh of the night for a part of the show involving 69-year-old Cleese, whose links between the acts were a tad laboured.

The former Monty Python man's recurring joke of getting the next act's name wrong - "Mr William Robins", "Billy Bail" - particularly grated.

The last time the effervescent Williams made a major appearance on the UK stage, he was still starring as Mork in TV sci-fi sitcom Mork and Mindy.

He was also seven years away from his first Oscar nomination for best actor in Good Morning, Vietnam, and 17 years ahead of his best supporting actor Oscar win for Good Will Hunting.

The Royal party met the performers backstage after the show

Unusually for the biggest name on the bill, he opened the show.

Apart from his opening greeting of "Wassup Wales? House of Windsor keeping it real", he left the Royals alone, concentrating more on the recent US election.

On the end of George W Bush's presidency, he said: "He could do stand-up comedy because he has eight years of great material.

"But he cannot go on the speaking circuit - that's a given."

And on the presidential race: "Obama - Fresh Prince. John McCain - Uncle Fester from The Addams Family."

National anthem

Bill Bailey, with his clever fusion of music and comedy, also had the Royals - who arrived at the Prince's Trust charity evening just a couple of minutes before curtain up - in stitches.

At one point Prince Charles nearly fell off his chair as Bailey imagined, on his keyboard, how the Belarussian national anthem might sound.

Rowan Atkinson also impressed, reprising an old favourite - his bumbling vicar delivering a sermon.

Prince Harry reportedly advised Cleese that he was "auburn... not ginger"

The other British comedians on the bill, Michael McIntyre, Stephen K Amos and Omid Djalili - up-and-coming acts, in relative terms - also shone.

McIntyre, looking forward to his backstage meeting with the prince, wondered: "What happens when a limp handshaker meets a limp handshaker?"

The evening was interspersed with turns from impressionist Jon Culshaw as, among others, Simon Cowell and George W Bush.

And Alistair McGowan and actress Amanda Holden performed a rather lacklustre skit on the difference between newsreading when Charles was born, in 1948, and the present day.

Dance finale

Audiences are so used to the shock tactics of veteran US comedienne Joan Rivers that her act has become decidedly unshocking, but she was good for a few laughs.

She told the audience: "I hate old people and old people that are proud. 'I'm 97 years old,' they say.

"And you smell."

Prince Charles "loves being around comics", said Eric Idle

The finale of the evening came when a seemingly incongruous ballet performance from an ensemble of dancers eventually revealed Cleese's Monty Python co-star Eric Idle to be among their number.

He promptly burst into the song, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, from Python film Life of Brian, and was joined on stage by a full military band, a male voice choir and all the evening's performers.

But the evening's real show-stopper directly preceded the climax, when Williams and Bailey reappeared for a duet.

It was also the first and only time of the evening that any of the performers really pushed the comedic boundaries in relation to the Royal guests.

The pair had the audience in raptures, singing together - with guitar accompaniment from Bailey - about how difficult it must be for Prince Charles to live in the shadow of the Queen.

'Extraordinary'

"Your momma ain't goin' anywhere, she's gonna hang on to that crown," sang Williams.

"The one thing that ain't on the money is you," concluded Bailey.

Any doubts the comedians may have had that they had gone too far were quashed by the prince himself after the show.

"It was extraordinary," confided Charles to Bailey at a backstage meet-and-greet.

Even more extraordinary was the fact that, as revealed by Bailey, he and Williams had written the song together in just 20 minutes.

"Robin's got a very quick mind, a comic mind," Bailey told Charles.

It is that quick, comic mind which the 1,700 members of Wednesday night's audience will remember long after the feel-good glow left by this night of quality comedy has subsided.

We Are Most Amused will be shown on ITV1 on Saturday 15 November at 2035 GMT and 2220 GMT.

Hendrix's drummer Mitchell dies

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Mitch Mitchell drumming with the Jimi Hendrix Experience on the Lulu Show, 1969.

Mitch Mitchell, the British drummer in the seminal 1960s band the Jimi Hendrix Experience, has been found dead in his US hotel room, authorities say.

The 61-year-old was discovered in the Benson Hotel in Portland, Oregon, in the early hours of Wednesday.

A medical examiner told the Associated Press news agency that his death appeared to be from natural causes, but said there would be an autopsy.

Hendrix died in 1970 and the band's bassist Noel Redding died in 2003.

Mitchell, from Ealing in west London, had been touring with the Experience Hendrix Tour.

'Rock 'n' roll hero'

The band was one of the most influential of the 1960s

Janie Hendrix, chief executive of the tour and step-sister of Jimi Hendrix, paid tribute to Mitchell.

"He was a wonderful man, a brilliant musician and a true friend," she said.

"His role in shaping the sound of the Jimi Hendrix Experience cannot be underestimated."

Terry Stewart, chief executive of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, also paid tribute to Mitchell.

He said the musician had added a "strictly percussive element to a lead instrument".

He added: "His interplay with Jimi Hendrix's guitar on songs like Fire is truly amazing.

"Mitch Mitchell had a massive influence on rock 'n' roll drumming and took it to new heights."

Mitchell performed on Hendrix classics such as Are You Experienced? Electric Ladyland and Axis: Bold As Love.

Mitchell drummed for Hendrix at his legendary Woodstock performance

The top session drummer also played with the likes of Eric Clapton, John Lennon, Keith Richards and Muddy Waters.

Bob Merlis, a spokesman for the tour, called his death "devastating".

He had seen Mitchell perform two weeks ago in Los Angeles and the drummer appeared healthy and upbeat, he said.

Blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd, who is also part of the tour, said Mitchell was to drums what Hendrix was to guitar.

"Today many of us have lost a dear friend, and the world has lost a rock 'n' roll hero," he said.

Sunset to make West End comeback

Goddard (left) plays the role William Holden played in the 1950 film

A small-scale production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Sunset Boulevard will open in London next month.

It is the first time the musical has been seen in the West End since 1997.

Kathryn Evans will play Norma Desmond, the role played on screen by Gloria Swanson and on stage by Patti LuPone, Elaine Paige and Glenn Close.

The show, first staged at the Watermill theatre in West Berkshire earlier this year, is directed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Based on the classic Billy Wilder film, Sunset Boulevard tells of a struggling Hollywood screenwriter, played by Ben Goddard, and his relationship with Desmond, a faded star of the silent era desperate to make a comeback.

'West End comfort'

"There were many, many people who couldn't see the show here because of our limited seating capacity," said the Watermill's artistic director Hedda Beeby.

"This news means that they can now see it in the comfort of the West End."

Sunset Boulevard will open at the Comedy Theatre in December following the closure of the Neil LaBute play Fat Pig, in which Kelly Brook appears.

It is the fourth musical theatre production to transfer to London from the Watermill following The Gondoliers in 2001, Sweeney Todd in 2004 and Mack and Mabel in 2006.

Weller smoke puts theatre in jam

Southend Borough Council said the law was breached

Rock star Paul Weller has landed a theatre in a jam after lighting up a cigarette on stage.

The Cliffs Pavilion, in Southend, Essex, was issued with a warning after council bosses found Weller flouted anti-smoking regulations.

The ex-frontman of the Jam and Style Council performed at the venue on Saturday and a warning was issued.

"We think the law was breached so we have issued a warning," Steve Ramm, of Southend Borough Council, said.

"We considered the matter but under the terms of our enforcement policy, we have issued the warning to Southend Theatres Limited at this stage.

"If a similar occurrence were to take place in future, we would be likely to take further action."

Mr Weller's agents, who are based in Beverley Hills, California, have been invited to comment.

Warning letter

A spokesman for Crawley Borough Council said it would be contacting Mr Weller for flouting another smoking ban last week.

The singer and his crew ignored requests not to smoke during two gigs held at the K2 Crawley venue in West Sussex on 6 and 7 November.

"We will be sending a warning letter to Paul Weller explaining that no action will be taken on this occasion," said the spokesman.

"We will require an undertaking from him not to smoke in an enclosed public place before booking him to perform in Crawley in the future."

Stereophonics deny Christmas duet

By Ruth Barnes BBC 6 Music reporter

Stereophonics are celebrating more than a decade in the spotlight

Stereophonics have denied reports that they will record a Christmas single with Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe.

They were rumoured to be teaming up with Calzaghe in a bid for number one, up against fellow boxer Ricky Hatton, who was said to have enlisted Oasis.

But Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones told BBC 6 Music: "I know Joe but I haven't seen him for a few years.

"We used to play charity football matches together but I don't know where that story's come from."

Speaking ahead of Monday's Mencap Little Noise Session in London, bassist Richard Jones said he had a theory about where the story could have come from.

"We were going to go over to New York and play a gig for all Calzaghe's fans in Madison Square Gardens or somewhere like that," he said.

"It didn't come together, so maybe somebody put two and two together and came back with 16."

It's a celebration, it's a party, we are very proud of what we have done Kelly Jones on Stereophonics' greatest hits album

The band released their greatest hits album A Decade In The Sun this week and will head out on a UK tour in December.

Fans will be treated to all their hits on tour, according to Kelly.

"We've never ever played a set list with, like, 25 singles in a row before," he said.

"You always try to do stuff from the albums or B sides. We are literally going to try and do that kind of hit-mungous night.

"I am quite curious to see what it does to the crowd because when you do the big favourite ones, people have a great time. So to do a whole evening of that, it's going to be great."

And they have been around long enough to release a greatest hits album, the singer believes.

'Right time'

"I think greatest hits albums have a stigma attached to them," he said. "A lot of bands put them out after having two albums thinking they have loads of hits.

"For us, this is something that we are completely part of, we have been asked about five or six times over the years to do it, and it never felt like the right time.

"But 10 years down the line, it does feel like a good time."

It's going good, the writing, I'm very pleased with it Kelly Jones on new Stereophonics material

And he is quick to reassure fans it is not a swansong for the band.

"The two new songs on it are an indication that we are still doing new stuff," he said.

"It's not just like closing the chapter. To us it's a celebration, it's a party, we are very proud of what we have done."

The band were asked to record new material for the greatest hits album, and say they went a bit overboard.

"We wanted to show we are still doing new stuff, the last album only came out about a year ago anyway," the frontman said.

"We went into the studio to write two or three and ended up writing eight or nine.

"We are going to continue recording in March for a new album to come out next year. It's going good, the writing, I'm very pleased with it."

The 15-date tour kicks off in Bristol on 28 November, rounding up at the O2 Arena in London on 20 December.

DJ Moyles to present C4 quiz show

Chris Moyles is one of Radio 1's top disc jockeys

Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles is to host a topical entertainment quiz for Channel 4 - his first own show since Five's Live with Chris Moyles six years ago.

Chris Moyles' Quiz Night will see him compete with three other celebrities, with his own possessions as prizes.

C4 head of entertainment Andrew Newman said Moyles "must be the biggest star in Britain without his own TV show".

"We're very pleased he has decided to change that," he continued at Channel 4's winter season launch in London.

"I'm very excited to be signing for Channel 4, especially as no one else offered me any work," said Moyles, who hosts Radio 1's breakfast show.

The star has also appeared as a guest presenter on E4's Big Brother's Big Mouth since Russell Brand stepped down from the programme in 2007.

'Extraordinarily powerful'

Moyles' eight-part series was one of several shows unveiled at Thursday's launch, held at Centre Point Tower in central London.

Others include a series of documentaries exploring alternative views on Christianity, presented by Cherie Blair, Michael Portillo, Ann Widdecombe and others.

Comedian Peter Kay will be back with a follow-up to his talent show spoof Britain's Got the Pop Factor and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar on Ice.

Channel 4 also confirmed that Celebrity Big Brother will return in January following the decision to axe it this year in the wake of the Shilpa Shetty race row.

"We're bringing it back because it's a brilliant programme," said head of programming Julian Bellamy, who said it was "still an extraordinarily powerful show."

Wall-E on animated Oscar longlist

Wall-E tells of a lonely robot who journeys into outer space

Pixar hit Wall-E is one of 14 titles in contention for next year's Academy Award for best animated feature.

Others on the official longlist include Kung Fu Panda, Dr Seuss' Horton Hears A Who! and Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa.

Seven of the submissions have yet to open in Los Angeles, a condition they must meet in order to be eligible.

Academy rules dictate that when there are between eight and 15 submissions, a maximum of three films can be nominated for the actual award.

This year's ceremony saw Pixar's Ratatouille triumph over penguin comedy Surf's Up and graphic novel adaptation Persepolis.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa is currently top at the US box office

Animated documentary Waltz with Bashir, screened to considerable acclaim at this year's Cannes Film Festival, also makes 2009 longlist.

So do Disney's upcoming canine caper Bolt and recent UK releases Igor and Fly Me to the Moon.

Japanese anime The Sky Crawlers - premiered earlier this year at the Venice Film Festival - is one of several foreign titles included.

Final nominations for the 81st Academy Awards will be announced on 22 January in Los Angeles.

The ceremony itself will be held on 22 February at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood.

N'Sync star 'two inches shorter'

Lance Bass currently features in Dancing With The Stars in the US

N'Sync star Lance Bass says he is two inches shorter since returning from his Russian cosmonaut training in 2002.

Speaking on Jay Leno's US chat show, the 29-year-old said: "I got shorter. I did! I don't know what happened.

"My torso was too long to fit in the rocket seat," he added. "They had to make a special suit so when I was in space it would contract me."

The star had been training to be a space tourist but failed to come up with funding to secure his seat.

He explained that he had had to curl up to fit into the cramped Soyuz rocket module.

"I came back shorter. Everyone said: 'You're much shorter', so I measured myself and... yeah," the star added.

Bad food

Bass described his training regime as "intense - every day from five in the morning until nine at night.

"It was condensed training because it takes years to become a cosmonaut and they only had six months to train me.

"I had a translator that didn't speak much English and a Russian teacher that spoke only French and Russian - they thought that's how I'd learn it better," he said.

Bass said he had always wanted to be an astronaut and added the food he received while in Russia was "not so good".

The star was originally due to host a space competition show where contestants would compete for a seat on the Russian Soyuz space capsule.

After the concept fell through, Bass was approached to feature in a documentary to put the youngest person and first entertainer in space.

But after beginning the training, the Russian Space Agency said the star and his representatives had been given several deadlines in which to come up with the $20m (

Coldplay win top world music gong

Coldplay's album went straight to number one in June In Pictures: World Music Awards

Coldplay have been named as the world's top-selling act of 2008 at the World Music Awards (WMAs) in Monaco.

Their latest album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, topped charts in countries including Britain, the US, Japan, Germany and France.

The group, fronted by Chris Martin, were also named rock act of the year.

The best pop female award went to Leona Lewis, who outsold Madonna and Mariah Carey, while US singer Kid Rock won best pop male.

Outstanding contribution

Kid Rock, who was once married to Pamela Anderson, also scooped the prize for best male pop/rock artist.

Singer Amy Winehouse won the female pop/rock award.

Beyonce performed at the ceremony in Monte Carlo

Alicia Keys was best R&B artist while Lewis also won the new artist prize.

Beyonce, who performed at the ceremony, took home the outstanding contribution to the arts award while the special achievement prize went to pop diva Mariah Carey.

Lil' Wayne was named top hip-hop/rap artist top and Akon was crowned biggest internet artist of the year.

Ringo Starr picked up the diamond award on behalf of The Beatles.

The prize was created in 2001 to honour artists who have sold more than 100 million albums.

Michael Jackson performed at the 2006 ceremony, which took place in London.

The awards, based on worldwide sales, take place every year.

Record figures are provided by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), a London-based body representing the recording industry.

Robbie and Gary reunited at match

Barlow (left) and Williams (right) joked on camera ahead of Saturday's match

Pop star Robbie Williams has reunited with his old Take That colleague Gary Barlow - but only to watch football.

The former bandmates were seated near each other at the Emirates Stadium in north London to see Arsenal's clash with rivals Manchester United.

The pair chatted amiably before the game, Williams even putting an arm around Barlow during a TV interview.

"We've not spoken a word to each other yet," Williams joked. "We don't know how this is going to go."

"It could go either way, this," added Barlow, who took his two children, Daniel and Emily, to the game.

Light-hearted

The light-hearted encounter follows the announcement this week that the reformed Take That have added extra dates to their UK stadium tour next summer.

According to a tour spokeswoman, there are no plans for Williams to make any appearances with the group he left in 1995 to launch a solo career.

Take That were in Liverpool on Thursday to perform at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards.

The band release their latest single, Greatest Day, on 24 November.

Officer contradicts Spector's ex

Jurors failed to reach a verdict in Mr Spector's first trial

A police officer called by prosecutors to corroborate a testimony made by Phil Spector's ex-girlfriend ended up contradicting her account in court.

Dorothy Melvin, who dated the music producer for four years, revealed earlier this week that he had hit her over a head with a gun on one occasion.

Sgt Chris Russ, who responded to Ms Melvin's emergency call, said he could not recall seeing any injuries.

Mr Spector denies shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his mansion in 2003.

The prosecution team are trying to prove Mr Spector had a history of threatening women with guns before Ms Clarkson was shot.

'Agitated and aggressive'

Sgt Russ told the Los Angeles courthouse that when he was called out to Mr Spector's home 1993, he found what he described as "something of a domestic incident".

Ms Melvin, former manager of comedian Joan Rivers, claimed Mr Spector was drunk when he hit her over the head and drew blood.

However, Sgt Russ said he had seen no evidence that the music producer was drunk, but admitted that he saw a shotgun in Mr Spector's mansion.

When he became "agitated and aggressive", the police officer said they handcuffed him and called a superior.

Ms Melvin declined to press charges because it would cause unwanted publicity for Ms Rivers.

Jurors failed to reach a decision in Mr Spector's first trial, which ended in September 2007.

The producer, who worked with artists including The Beatles and the Righteous Brothers, faces a minimum of 15 years to life in prison if he is found guilty of second degree murder.

The new trial is expected to last four months.

Jacko soundalike sought for stage

Michael Jackson is not involved in the musical

Producers of a West End show based on pop singer Michael Jackson are to hold open auditions to find a young actor to play the musical legend on stage.

The wannabe star, aged between 11 and 15, will take the lead role in Thriller Live when it opens in January.

Producers want a black or mixed race boy with "an excellent unbroken pop/rock voice with a high range".

Singers will be required to perform Ben, I Want You Back, or I'll Be There at the auditions on 23 November.

Tribute

The casting session will take place the Lyric Theatre, which is where the production will be staged next year.

The show has already been seen in Germany, Holland and Scandinavia and travelled on three UK tours.

It is billed as a tribute to the hits and career of pop star Jackson and The Jackson 5.

The star himself is not involved in the musical, but Sony, which owns his back catalogue, is supporting the show.

There has been speculation that The Jackson 5, who last performed together in 2001, will be reuniting next year with the former King of Pop among them.

However, the 50-year-old star, best known for hits such as Bad and Smooth Criminal, has denied the rumours.

Last month he issued a statement, that said he "no plans to record or tour" with his siblings.

Thriller - Live opens on 2 January, and features hits such as Can You Feel It, Rock With You, Beat It, ABC and Billie Jean.