Bedazzled charms UK box office

Liz Hurley's latest movie Bedazzled has gone straight to number one in the UK box office charts following its release on Friday.

The film, also starring Brendan Fraser, took £1.1m over the weekend. It pushed Harrison Ford's psychological thriller What Lies Beneath into second with takings of £1m.

In at three, was new sci-fi release Pitch Black - starring Vin Diesel - with takings of £900,000.

Bedazzled sees Hurley as the devil who gives Fraser seven wishes. It is remake of the 1967 comedy starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

Bedazzled has already been a hit in the US despite bad publicity surrounding Hurley's appearance in a TV ad during a US actors strike.

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Evil Cruella's fitting exit

Glenn Close, star of 102 Dalmatians, insisted Disney hired the Oscar-winning playwright Tom Stoppard to provide Cruella De Vil with a fitting exit.

"They wanted her to be humiliated and pathetic in the end and I said, 'I won't do that,'" Close told the LA Times.

"She deserves some respect".

Thanks to Stoppard, Close says Cruella will rise again: "She's invincible.

Evil is never really conquered, you just have to watch out for it."

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Connick Jr in talks for hitman film role

Actor-musician Harry Connick Jr is in "advanced talks" to star with Sarah Jessica Parker in a black comedy about the Mob, according to Variety magazine.

Connick would play an unwilling hitman (with aspirations to become a tenor) who is hired by Parker to kill her boyfriend - then falls in love with her.

The movie, called Life Without Dick, will mark the directing debut of Bix Skahill - who also wrote the script - and filming begins next month.

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Dench and Everett set for Wilde Time

Rupert Everett and Dame Judi Dench are set to star in a film adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest, says Variety magazine.

Everett is to play Algernon in the comedy of high society and mistaken identity, with Dench in talks for the role of disapproving Lady Bracknell.

The picture will be directed by Oliver Parker, whose last film was Wilde's An Ideal Husband - also starring Everett - and will be filmed at Ealing Studios.

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Election worries for South Park pair

The uncertain outcome of the American presidential election is starting to affect South Parkcreators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

The confusion is holding up their new series First Family, based on life in the White House, which is due to go on air in February.

This week, South Park itself features an election for kindergarten president.

US viewers will see teacher Mr Garrison order a recount, and a celebrity Democrat supporter will arrive to help ensure a fair outcome.

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McGrath takes another swipe at Posh

Comic Rory McGrath has reignited his feud with Posh Spice by posing as the Beckham family on the BBC One sports quiz They Think It's All Over.

McGrath donned a strapless red dress to pose as Posh Spice for a publicity shoot for a new series of the quiz show.

Co-captain Jonathan Ross dressed as football star David Beckham, while quiz master Nick Hancock put on a nappy and bonnet to appear as baby Brooklyn.

McGrath's constant mickey-taking of the couple has led to outspoken attacks of the comic by Victoria Beckham.