A deputy High Court judge ruled on Wednesday that Taube was entitled to around £350,000 in royalties from the song which was a number one hit for three weeks in the UK.

But FX Music, the production company holding the royalties, went into voluntary liquidation just before Taube and Gina G began separate legal actions for their share of the proceeds.

The song is thought to be as the biggest money spinner of any Eurovision Song Contest entry although it was voted the eighth best at the 1996 competition.

Deputy High Court judge Nicholas Warren QC today awarded Taube his share of the royalties collected by FX Music from worldwide sales of the hit.

The judge ruled he was also entitled to a share of the royalties held by record company Warner but this will be swallowed up by the cost of the legal action, his solicitor said after the hearing.

John Simmons, of solicitors Kanaar and Co said, Taube would now be pursuing legal action against Steven Rodway, who ran FX Music.

He added Gina G - who was not involved in the case and is pursuing a separate action - would also be taking action aginst Rodway.

Actors share university stage

TV actors Ross Kemp and Richard Wilson shared the stage at an awards ceremony at the University of Glasgow on Wednesday.

Wilson, famous for playing grumpy Victor Meldrew in the BBC's One Foot In The Grave, received an honorary degree.

Dressed in ceremonial robes, Wilson used his acceptance speech to talk of the difficulties facing students who now have to pay tuition fees to fund their education.

EastEnders actor Ross Kemp was at the ceremony in his new role as university Rector, a post held by Wilson for the last three years.

"This is a wonderful university and the students are great," said Kemp.

"Unfortunately because of commitments to EastEnders I haven't been able to give them as much time as I would like lately but I am looking forward to being Rector."

Geri to join party in the park

Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has been added to the bill for next month's Party In The Park in London.

It will only be her second live performance as a solo artist, following a low-key gig at a nightclub last week.

She will be performing in front of 100,000 fans, including the Prince of Wales, in Hyde Park on 4 July.

Other acts on the bill include Boyzone, Madness and The Corrs.

Radio break for Girlie Show's Sara Cox

TV presenter Sara Cox is joining BBC Radio 1 as a DJ on a new Saturday lunchtime show alongside the station's Emma B.

The 24-year-old, who rose to fame on Channel 4's The Girlie Show, will start her radio career on 25 September.

Talking about the new show, she said: "By the time you finish lunch on a Saturday afternoon, there won't be anything you don't know about what's going on at the weekend."

Cox currently co-presents entertainment gossip show Exclusive on Channel 5.

Travolta unsure of Streisand millennium gig

John Travolta still has not decided whether to accept Barbra Streisand's invitation to join her on stage at her New Year's Eve show in Las Vegas.

"I think it would be great but I have to figure if that's where I want to be on this New Year's Eve. It's the millennium and there's the family to consider," he says.

"I've been asked to sing a few songs with her, but I don't know what kind. I don't know what it entails. That's why I haven't made up my mind."

Ex-soap star Rickitt set for top ten hit

Former Coronation Street heart-throb Adam Rickitt is set to score a top ten hit this weekend with his debut single.

Early chart sales figures show that the blond star's I Breathe Again is on course to be a top three hit, but is unlikely to dislodge S Club 7 from number one.

HMV chain spokesman Jason Legg said Rickitt had been doing in-store appearances and had been greeted by up to 1,000 fans at each of them.

"We haven't seen that sort of response since 911," he added.

Chrissie song said to be dig at Patsy

The Pretenders' new single Popstar is rumoured to be a deliberate dig at Patsy Kensit.

The song, written by Chrissie Hynde, contains the lyrics: "Your girlfriend wants to be a pop star and live in Primrose Hill...you should have stuck with me..."

Pundits claim it is about the singer's marriage split with Jim Kerr - who later went on to marry Kensit.

The actress is now married to Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and living in Primrose Hill, north London.

Costello: I'm a movie trivia question

Singer-songwriter Elvis Costello is surprised to find himself in two of the top-grossing movies in the US.

Costello's version of She, originally sung by Charles Aznavour, features in Notting Hill, and he performs I'll Never Fall In Love Again with Burt Bacharach in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.