BBC News - Entertainment & Arts

The latest stories from the Entertainment & Arts section of the BBC News web site.

VIDEO: Dickens's London: Prison to the pub

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:14:32 GMT

The prison, the pub and other landmarks that influenced author

VIDEO: On set with Daniel Radcliffe

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:49:15 GMT

The BBC's Lizo Mzimba speaks to Daniel Radcliffe on the set of The Woman in Black.

Payne named filmmaker of the year

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:30:00 GMT

The Descendants director Alexander Payne is named filmmaker of the year by the American Cinema Editors.

Stage chiller hits the big screen

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:37:09 GMT

Harry Potter star is spooked in the Woman in Black

6 Music to mark 10th anniversary

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:44:39 GMT

BBC Radio 6 Music is to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a host of commemorative programming.

Fassbender scoops Standard award

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:06:48 GMT

Shame actor Michael Fassbender wins the best actor prize at the Evening Standard British Film Awards, while Olivia Colman takes the best actress prize for Tyrannosaur.

Being Human exit was 'horrendous'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:52:12 GMT

The death of character George Sands left cast and crew in tears says actress Lenora Crichlow.

Titanic cameraman dies in crash

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:41:02 GMT

Award-winning underwater cinematographer Mike deGruy dies in a helicopter crash in Australia.

Chronicle ends War Horse UK reign

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:13:00 GMT

Teen science fiction film Chronicle has ended War Horse's three-week reign at the top of the UK box office chart.

Royals celebrate Dickens' legacy

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:37:43 GMT

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall are leading global celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth.

Zombie actor Hinzman dies at 75

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:21:50 GMT

Bill Hinzman, star of cult zombie movie Night of the Living Dead, dies at the age of 75.

Spanish artist Antoni Tapies dies

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:54:17 GMT

Spanish painter and sculptor Antoni Tapies, who was one of the world's leading contemporary art figures, dies aged 88.

When did the middle finger become offensive?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:02:54 GMT

When did the middle finger become offensive?

Library closures inquiry begins

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:01:21 GMT

MPs hear evidence from librarians and campaigners at the beginning of an inquiry into library closures.

VIDEO: Jubilee concert acts announced

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:08:43 GMT

Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney are among the artists who will play at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in London in June.

Finborough scoops theatre awards

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:56:11 GMT

The Finborough Theatre is the big winner at this year's Off West End Theatre Awards.

Taylor art auction fetches £14m

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:31:36 GMT

Three paintings from Elizabeth Taylor's personal art collection are sold for almost £14 million at an auction in London.

Madonna announces next world tour

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:33 GMT

Madonna announces the dates for her latest world tour, which will start in Israel in March.

VIDEO: Kermit and Piggy play Mr and Mrs

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:24:18 GMT

Kermit the Frog tries to guess Miss Piggy's answers in a game of Mr and Mrs.

Robbie makes holiday women appeal

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:19:05 GMT

Four women come forward after pop star Robbie Williams posted a picture of a pre-fame encounter on his website and asked them to get in touch.

Don Cornelius death ruled suicide

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:43:24 GMT

Coroners rule Don Cornelius's death was suicide, nearly a week after the Soul Train creator was found with a gun shot to his head.

VIDEO: Jackie Mason on his final UK tour

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:46:24 GMT

Comedy legend Jackie Mason is in the UK on what he says will be his final tour of the country. The self-proclaimed "amazingly talented" stand-up gave a private routine to Newsnight's Stephen Smith.

Contest to boost reading for fun

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:27:25 GMT

The government is planning to create a national reading competition in England to encourage a love of books and boost children's literacy.

VIDEO: Madonna's world tour and more news

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:26:49 GMT

The line-up for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee concert is unveiled and Madonna announces dates for her world tour plus the rest of the day's top entertainment headlines.

Jubilee gig line-up is announced

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:25:31 GMT

Dame Shirley Bassey, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney are among the artists who will play at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in London in June.

VIDEO: Katie Price: Implants 'need age limit'

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:09:01 GMT

Katie Price has told Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman she thinks breast implants should have an age limit of 21, following the health scare over implants manufactured by French firm PIP.

GPU helps put Muppets on screen

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:57:15 GMT

How a graphics chip advances aided the puppets' return

Broadcasters urge PM on court ban

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:09:24 GMT

Three of the UK's biggest news providers write to the prime minister urging legislation to overturn the ban on cameras in courtrooms to be included in this year's Queen's Speech.

Underground design for Serpentine

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:10:33 GMT

Beijing Olympics designers Herzog & de Meuron and Ai Weiwei will create this year's Serpentine Gallery pavilion.

VIDEO: SA 'zombie held' singer charged

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:36:35 GMT

South African police have charged a man with fraud after he claimed to be a famous Zulu musician who had come back from the dead.

Working with Lucian Freud

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:44:45 GMT

A unique insight by his assistant, model and friend, David Dawson

Cartoon chicken strolls to Oscars

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:19:36 GMT

British animation aiming for an egg-cellent Oscar night

Art Fund Prize longlist revealed

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:44:22 GMT

Four newly-opened museums are among the 10 institutuions on the longlist for this year's £100,000 Art Fund Prize.

Lady Gaga unveils stage plans

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:28:34 GMT

The singer has revealed the stage plans for her upcoming world tour - the Born This Way Ball.

Mackenzie Crook up for book award

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:51:38 GMT

British actor Mackenzie Crook, best known for playing Gareth in The Office, is shortlisted for this year's Waterstones Children's Book Prize.

Oban fiddler wins BBC music award

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:32:12 GMT

A 22-year-old fiddler from Oban has been crowned BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2012.

Dickens 'beyond' modern children

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:30:44 GMT

Charles Dickens biographer Claire Tomalin says children are not being taught to read with the attention span necessary to appreciate the novelist's works.

Tom Cruise film producers sued

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:59:14 GMT

Two producers working on Tom Cruise's forthcoming movie One Shot are being sued by a former colleague.

Childish by name

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:47:38 GMT

Does it make economic sense for a performer to be multi-skilled?

David Jason moves behind the camera

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:26:19 GMT

Sir David Jason moves behind the camera

Military Wives song raises £500k

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:18:31 GMT

A song by Devon's Military Wives choir which topped the Christmas singles chart has raised more than £500,000 for two forces' charities, it is revealed.

VIDEO: Barlow on 'massive' Jubilee concert

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:27 GMT

Gary Barlow says he wants to represent "the whole world" at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in June.