The actor, who plays Grant Mitchell in the soap, flew to Scotland to stand as the Labour candidate for the post.

Celebrating with students after winning with a majority of 543 votes, Kemp said: "I'm very happy with the result and I want to start work as soon as possible."

As well as representing the students, the Rector is entitled to chair meetings of the University Court, the ruling body of the university.

The outgoing Rector is One Foot In The Grave star Richard Wilson.

Let me into the Oscars says Redgrave's ex

Redgrave filed for divorce after 32 years of marriage

The estranged husband of British star Lynn Redgrave has appealed to her on US TV not to divorce him and to allow him to come with her to the Oscars.

"I think we're just a little old for all this nonsense... I love you. Settle down and lighten up.

"Look, I'm 66-years-old. You were 56-years-old just yesterday, and I just think we're a little old for all this nonsense" director Clark said.

Redgrave filed for divorce last week, when her husband revealed he'd fathered a child with her daughter-in-law.

The actress barred her husband from joining her at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, where he showed up in a tuxedo only to be turned away by bouncers.

Welsh opera prodigy makes US debut

Charlotte's Voice of an Angel album went double platinum

Charlotte Church, the Welsh 13-year-old who has taken the opera world by storm, has made her US debut.

Her angelic voice captivated the 3,000 members of the audience at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers Annual Convention in Las Vegas and earned her a standing ovation.

"I never dreamed this in my wildest dreams," said Charlotte.

Charlotte has sold two million albums in the UK and made the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest artist ever to hit number one in the UK charts.

The child star has also performed for Prince Charles and the Pope and is being touted as an opera phenomenon.

Sacked Blue Peter star gets new TV role

Richard Bacon: In talks with other broadcasters

Former children's show presenter Richard Bacon, sacked after he admitted taking drugs, is back on television.

Bacon, 22, was dropped from BBC One's Blue Peter last October when it emerged he had taken cocaine during a night out

But on Tuesday Bacon made his debut as roving reporter for the Big Breakfast on Channel 4.

Bacon has reportedly been in talks with other broadcasters, including his old BBC1 bosses.

Carreras returns to US Opera stage

Back to the USA for Jose Carreras

Jose Carreras of Three Tenors fame is to make his first opera appearance in the US for 12 years when he stars this week in a new production, Sly.

Based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew and composed by Ernanno Wolf-Ferrari, it's the first commercial production of an opera written 72 years ago.

Carreras will play the Christopher Sly, a poor poet who romances a nobleman's mistress and kills himself at the end of the production.

Spanish tenor Carreras has recently been battling leukaemia and so avoiding strenuous opera roles.

Sly is directed by Marta Domingo, wife of another of the Three Tenors - Placido Domingo, the artistic director and singing star of the Washington Opera.

Hanks set to hobble to Oscars ceremony

Tom Hanks: Troubled by infected blister

Tom Hanks may find himself limping down the red carpet to attend this year's Oscar ceremony after being treated in hospital for an injured knee.

The 42-year-old star developed a blister on his knee while filming Cast Away in Fiji.

Hanks was unable to keep the blister properly dressed because of the tropical climate and filming in water and it became infected.

Oscar-nominated Hanks has been advised by doctors to rest for a week.

As a result the actor will miss the Academy Awards lunch as well as the NATO Star of the Decade Awards later this week.

Cleese to be offered new Fawlty role

Cleese to play "nicest man in the world"

American television is set to offer John Cleese a role in a new US version of Fawlty Towers but not as Basil.

Payne stars John Larroquette as hotel owner Royal Payne with JoBeth Williams in the Sybil role.

If the show is a hit Cleese will be offered a regular role.

"There is a rival hotel called the Sand Dune," explains Larroquette.

"I want John Cleese to be the owner and be the nicest man in the world."

Payne begins next Monday in the US but there's no news yet of a UK screening.

TV star Noah Wyle announces engagement

Wyle plays Dr John Carter in the hit series

ER heart-throb Noah Wyle has announced his engagement to his make-up artist girlfriend, Tracy Warbin.

The 27-year-old actor, who plays Dr John Carter in the hit US series, went public with the news in a backstage interview at Sunday's Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The couple met in 1996 while they were both working on the set of The Myth of Fingerprints.