Sonique shows staying power

Dance star Sonique has become the first act this year to hold on to the UK number one spot for three weeks in a row.

Her hit, It Feels So Good, held off S Club 7's Reach, which is spending its third week at number two.

Richard Blackwood was the highest new entry with Mama Who Da Man at number three. Coming Around by Travis came in at number five and Fat Les's England anthem for Euro 2000, Jerusalem, reached number 10.

Tom Jones had a belated 60th birthday present when his album Reload went back to number one in the album charts.

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UK TV set to shine at Canadian festival

The Royle Family is one of 25 British shows up for an award at the Banff Rockie festival in Canada this week.

Other programmes nominated include BBC dramas Wives And Daughters and Warriors, C4 comedy Smack The Pony and ITV comedy drama Cold Feet.

Almost a third of the shows nominated have been partly or wholly made in the UK - a figure surpassed only by the US.

In the worldwide TV market, UK exports are second only to the United States and sales of TV and radio programmes abroad generate around £234m per year.

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Jackson admits Shaft fall-out

Actor Samuel L Jackson has admitted to falling out with director John Singleton while remaking the cult 70s film Shaft.

"John is like many young directors I've worked with recently," Jackson told a group of reporters.

"They've done five or eight films - I've made close to 70. I know better than they do what works for Sam Jackson."

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Lorenzo's Oil inspiration Michaela dies

Michaela Odone, whose epic fight to save her son from a degenerative brain disease inspired the film Lorenzo's Oil, has died of cancer, aged 60.

Despite medical hostility, she and her husband proved that a refined blend of oils alleviated the disease ALD - and their treatment is now used worldwide.

The Odones' successful fight to save their son Lorenzo, now 22, inspired the award-winning 1992 film starring Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte.

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Ford turns down new Clancy role

Hollywood actor Harrison Ford will not be reprising his role as CIA analyst Jack Ryan, says The Hollywood Reporter.

The latest film, based on the novel The Sum of All Fears, reunites director Phillip Noyce with producer Mace Neufield.

However, the dynamic duo have been unable to agree with Ford on the new film's script.

Ford previously starred as Ryan in two films based on Clancy novels, Clear and Present Danger and Patriot Games.

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New Order on top in football poll

The World in Motion single featuring New Order has been voted England's all-time favourite football song in an internet poll.

The survey - carried out by website Clickmusic - put the 1990 rap track ahead of Jerusalem, Fat Les's Euro 2000 anthem, which was placed only fifth.

Three Lions, written by Frank Skinner, David Baddiel and The Lightning Seeds, was second with Fat Les's Vindaloo third.

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BBC and Sky join Princely row

The row over media coverage of Prince William has spread to television.

The BBC and Sky News are concerned at arrangements for sharing footage of the Prince at Eton, which was shot by ITN.

St James's Palace hopes ITN will help defuse the row by agreeing to hand over copyright of the images to the Prince of Wales.

Meanwhile, the palace is to report the News of The World to the Press Complaints Commission for publishing a set of pictures of William at Eton.

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Coronation Street - uncovered

Coronation Street officials are hoping to stay ahead in the ratings war with a sexy new storyline featuring a male stripper.

Sam Kingston, played by newcomer Scott Wright, will show a lighter side to the soap after it attracted more than 16 million viewers with a tragic baby snatch plot.

The six-footer, whose stage name is 'Python', proves an instant hit with Weatherfield women and it is not longbefore he is entertaining regulars in the Rovers.

Wright, who was spotted by the casting director in a local play, said: "We've filmed the ladies night and it was hilarious. I was a bit unsure about stripping off in front of 18 million viewers - but it is all done in the best possible taste."