Idle plans film spoof

Monty Python comic Eric Idle is planning a spoof of the Merchant Ivory dramas called Remains of the Piano.

Billy Connolly and Geoffrey Rush, who won an Oscar for Shine, have already signed up for the film.

It will begin shooting in August, and will send up some of Britain's biggest stars.

Lord of the Rings actor Orlando Bloom will parody Daniel Day-Lewis, and Patrick Stewart will play a character called Obie Ben Kingsley.

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Isley Brothers on top

Veteran soul group The Isley Brothers have gone top the top of the US album charts with their latest release.

The new record, Body Kiss, sold more than 155,000 copies in its first week.

The group - originally a quartet, and now a duo of brothers Ronald and Ernie, are best known for their 1950s hits Shout.

It is their first number one album since 1975's Fight the Power.

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Actor Sizemore charged

Hollywood actor Tom Sizemore was on Wednesday charged with 16 criminal counts relating to his relationship with alleged brothel boss Heidi Fleiss.

Already facing trial over domestic abuse charges and intimidating witnesses, Sizemore now faces other misdemeanour charges.

The actor was also told he must keep away from Fleiss.

He was arrested last week after reportedly threatening Fleiss not to testify over his trial for allegedly assaulting another girlfriend.

Sizemore is best known for his role as a tough sergeant in Saving Private Ryan.

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Spears settles suit

Competing legal actions between pop star Britney Spears and the Skechers footwear company have been settled.

Spears brought a $1.5m (£937,500) case against Skechers in December, claiming the firm had not paid her adequately for marketing skates and accessories.

The company responded with a $10m (£6.25m) action of its own, accusing Spears of fraud and breach of contract.

Documents filmed at a Los Angeles court disclosed a settlement had been reached but the terms remained confidential.

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Music stars perform for charity

Chart-topping acts Craig David, Atomic Kitten, Girls Aloud and Blue have taken part in a concert in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.

Around 15,000 fans packed the Manchester Evening News Arena on Wednesday for the gig where they could vote for which songs the groups performed.

Atomic Kitten's Jenny Frost said the charity was "very close" to her heart.

"It's great to be back here doing something for such a good cause," she said. "Every bum on every seat out there has given money to charity."

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Radio's Payne joins Sky

Radio football presenter Ian Payne is switching to TV to become a presenter for Sky Sports.

Payne is known to listeners for his role as Sport on Five host on BBC Radio Five Live.

He heads to Sky - as one of its main football presenters - after 15 years with the BBC.

He will not replace anyone at Sky, which is preparing to show Champions League games next season, but will be added to the team of presenters such as Andy Gray and Richard Keys.

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ITV in Fight talks

ITV has confirmed it is in talks about reviving The Fight, the celebrity boxing show scrapped by the BBC earlier this year.

The BBC staged one fight last year, between comedian Ricky Gervais and Grant Bovey, the husband of TV presenter Anthea Turner.

But two more were cancelled after the British Boxing Board of Control objected to the bouts.

An ITV spokeswoman told BBC News Online: "The idea has been brought to us, but no dates or names have been set."