British shows won three out of six prizes on offer at the US TV equivalent of the Oscars.

The Vicar of Dibley episode Love And Marriage won the popular arts Emmy for producers Tiger Aspect Productions, who make the show for BBC One.

Another British winner at the New York ceremony was The Judas Tree, which took the performing arts prize.

Channel 4 programme Blabbermouth and Sticky Beak, about a girl who cannot speak, won the category for children and young people's programme.

Top bands in Mitch fund-raiser

Massive Attack: Joining Mitch album

Acts including U2, Massive Attack and Roni Size are donating tracks to an album to raise funds for victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America.

The double CD, also featuring Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, Bentley Rhythm Ace and 808 State, is due to be released on 7 December.

More than 20,000 people were killed or are still missing after the hurricane ripped through the region earlier this month.

Twain and Smith dominate award nominations

Will Smith: Four American Music Award nominations

Canadian country star Shania Twain and US rapper Will Smith head the nominees for the 26th annual American Music Awards, to be handed out on 11 January.

Twain received a total of five nominations, including four for favourite female artist and favourite album in both the pop/rock and country categories.

Smith got four nominations, including favourite male artist and favourite album in both pop/rock and soul/rhythm and blues categories.

Ryder tipped for Gere movie

Winona Ryder: Considering part with Gere

Winona Ryder is heading the list of favourites to star alongside Richard Gere in new film Autumn in New York.

Gere will star as a playboy who falls in love with a woman half his age, and discovers that she is dying.

The actor has decided to return to romantic roles in a bid to boost his career.

Ryder is said to be thinking hard about the offer.

Allen backs DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio: Stars in new Woody Allen movie

Art will be imitating life for Leonardo DiCaprio in the new Woody Allen film, Celebrity, in which he plays a young film star and darling of the media.

But Allen says he cast DiCaprio in the role before he shot to stardom, after seeing him in the film Marvin's Room.

"I said, 'This kid is wonderful, I've never heard of him,' said Allen, who isn't surprised by DiCaprio's stardom.

"If he takes his career seriously he can be top for decades."

Tom Stoppard honoured by French

Tom Stoppard: Arcadia going to France

Tom Stoppard's play Arcadia is to open at France's national theatre - smashing the country's 30-year rule barring plays by living writers who are not French.

The Comedie-Francaise's Jean-Pierre Miquel says the ban was to protect French writers, but the ban is now dropped as Stoppard's play "justifies it".