Pierce Brosnan to star in remake of the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair

BOND STAR BROSNAN TAKES ON McQUEEN ROLE

James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan is temporarily trading in his licence to kill for a life of crime. He is to star in a remake of the 1968 Steve McQueen-Faye Dunaway film, The Thomas Crown Affair, according to the America Daily Variety newspaper. Brosnan will play a wealthy but bored business tycoon who decides to spice up his life with the perfect bank heist. He will, however, return as 007 for the19th instalment of the Bond series.

James Brown will play at the V98 music festival

SEX MACHINE SOUL MASTER TO PLAY AT V98

Godfather of soul James Brown is to play at the V98 music festival accompanied by 25 costumed dancers. And Brit award-winning All Saints have also been added to the bill for the weekend event which takes place at two separate sites on August 22 and 23. The Sex Machine star will set the Leeds and Chelmsford based show rocking as part of his world tour, along with The Verve, The Charlatans, Underworld, Fun Lovin' Criminals and Cornershop.

Tom Baker is to play the Devil in a Radio 4 play

DOCTOR WHO TO PLAY DEVIL

Former Doctor Who star Tom Baker, is to play the Devil in a Radio 4 play. Baker, who was the longest-serving actor to play the time traveller, is one of a small cast performing Hattie Naylor's play. The Devil and Paganini. The story focuses on an English journalist who visits Paganini, but the legendary violinist is also being visited by the devil. The play, being broadcast on Monday, is part of a project in which radio plays on a violin theme are produced.

SMASHING PUMPKINS USA GIG "TOO POPULAR"

Chicago has turned down an offer by the Smashing Pumpkins to stage a free hometown concert because city officials said there were no venues big enough. The hit band had offered to put on a free July 7 concert in Grant Park to celebrate their 10th anniversary. The venue holds 60,000 but officials feared up to 100,000 would turn up. "It's one of the biggest heartbreaks in my life," said singer Billy Corgan.

DEBBIE GIBSON STALKED BY FANCLUB MEMBER

Former teen pop sensation Deborah Gibson is getting some unwanted attention from a member of her fan club Police arrested Michael Folkner, 28, after the singer-actress spotted him waiting for her outside the theatre. According to Newsday magazine, Folkner did not threaten Gibson during the incident and was not carrying a weapon. Gibson is currently starring as Belle in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.

THREE LIONS HIT LOSES ITS PEARCE ROAR

Britain's most famous football anthem Three Lions is being re-recorded yet again without the voice of "mighty mouth" commentator Jonathan Pearce. A special version is now being edited which replaces the Capital Gold DJ's wacky commentary with words lifted from the BBC's own Radio 5 Live station. BBC bosses have denied they are behind the silencing of the voice of a commercial station on the latest World Cup edition of the Baddiel, Skinner and Lightning Seeds hit collaboration.

HIGHLANDER ACTOR HANGING UP KILT

Adrian Paul, who found fame as the star of the Highlander TV series, is hanging up his kilt to move on to other things. Paul, who played the dashing immortal Duncan MacLeod for six years, will next appear with Nastassia Kinski in the black comedy Susan's Plan. He is having one last fling in the Highlander role, however, when another big screen sequel goes into production. Christopher Lambert, who starred in the acclaimed original 1986 film, has also been signed up to appear.

TEMPTATIONS MINI SERIES

Casting is under way for five black actors and singers to portray the legendary Motown group theTemptations, in a US TV mini-series on their lives. The series spans four decades and shows the Temptations' triumphs as well as the tragic downward spiral of two band members who died. Co-produced by ex-Temptations leader Otis Williams, the script requires the actors to lip-synch to recordings, with their own singing in certain scenes.

RUSSELL GETS IN SHAPE FOR WARRIOR ROLE