Madonna acts over flop

A Los Angeles judge has been asked to throw out a case against Madonna and her film director husband Guy Ritchie over their film flop Swept Away.

The celebrity duo have been accused of failing to pay a man who claims he gave them the idea for the film, a remake of a 1974 movie by Lina Wertmuller.

The judge has been asked to dismiss the case after one of the man's lawyers failed to attend a hearing in April.

It is more likely, however, that the lawyer concerned will simply be fined.

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Convent drama wins EU film prize

Peter Mullan's powerful drama about abuse in Irish convents, the Magdalene Sisters, has won the European Union's annual film prize.

The prize, awarded at the Cannes film festival, is given to a first or second-time director on the basis of the number of EU countries it is shown in.

The Scottish director wins 25,000 euros (£17,690) for the film, which also won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

"This prize is testimony to the creativity and vitality of European cinema and shows that European films can be box-office successes in different European countries while still retaining their own personality," said EU Culture Commissioner Viviane Reding.

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Rice returns to TV

Anneka Rice is returning to TV more than 10 years after her Challenge Anneka show was axed.

She has been signed by Five to present Dinner Doctors, a programme which aims to help busy parents feed their families healthily.

Rice, 44, made her name wearing brightly coloured jumpsuits on Treasure Hunt, which saw her roaming the country looking for clues to where the "treasure" was hidden.

She dropped out of the limelight to go back into education, studying fine arts at the Chelsea College of Arts.

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Basinger set for Wilde tale

Kim Basinger will be heading to the Riviera this summer to shoot a film version of Oscar Wilde's play Lady Windermere's Fan.

Set in the 1930s, the story follows an audacious woman "of a certain age" who flees troubles in New York for Europe.

Joseph Fiennes will co-star in A Good Woman, to be directed by Mike Barker and filmed in either France or Italy.

Basinger, 49, won an Oscar in 1997 for her role in LA Confidential. Her most recent high profile role was alongside rapper Eminem in 8 Mile.

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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.