BBC News - Entertainment & Arts

The latest stories from the Entertainment & Arts section of the BBC News web site.

Lana Del Rey conquers album chart

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:18:22 GMT

US singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey goes straight in at number one in the UK album chart with her debut release Born To Die.

VIDEO: John Bishop's Sport Relief challenge

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:24:36 GMT

Comedian John Bishop is about to take on a five day triathlon from Paris to London to raise money for Sport Relief.

VIDEO: Cher Lloyd: 'I'm scared of cyberbullies'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:44:48 GMT

Pop singer Cher Lloyd tells Panorama's Declan Lawn about being cyberbullied and her fears for her family's safety.

6 Music to mark 10th anniversary

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:44:39 GMT

BBC Radio 6 Music is to celebrate its 10th anniversary with a host of commemorative programming.

Depardieu to star as Strauss-Kahn

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:30:11 GMT

Gerard Depardieu is to star in a movie about the sex scandal that caused IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn to resign.

Brits dominate 2011 album market

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:07:57 GMT

British music acts accounted for 52.7% of the overall UK album market last year, figures show.

VIDEO: Hockney on sitting for Freud

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:05:49 GMT

David Hockney has revealed some of Lucian Freud's work practices, ahead of two major showcases of the late painter's work.

SA 'resurrected singer' detained

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:26:29 GMT

A South African man who claims to be a famous Zulu musician who apparently died in 2009 is in custody until DNA tests determine his identity, police say.

When did the middle finger become offensive?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:02:54 GMT

When did the middle finger become offensive?

VIDEO: Simon Callow celebrating Dickens

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:16:04 GMT

Acclaimed actor and writer Simon Callow has written a biography of Charles Dickens, exploring the importance of the theatre to the author.

Gruffalo author pens protest poem

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 01:11:54 GMT

Children's laureate and Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson writes a poem in protest at planned library closures across the country.

Oban fiddler wins BBC music award

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:32:12 GMT

A 22-year-old fiddler from Oban has been crowned BBC Radio Scotland's Young Traditional Musician of the Year 2012.

In pictures: Copycat exhibition

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:04:00 GMT

Original artworks hang alongside copies in new exhibition

VIDEO: Electra's guest BGT judge and more news

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:26:49 GMT

Broadcaster NBC apologises after singer M.I.A. swore during her Super Bowl performance and Carmen Electra's a guest judge on Britain's Got Talent plus the rest of the day's top entertainment headlines.

How realistic are TV cop shows?

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:26:50 GMT

How realistic are police shows on television?

VIDEO: Leveson: Ex-NOTW showbiz editor

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:20:10 GMT

Former News of the World showbusiness editor gives evidence at the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

Pulp to be honoured at NME awards

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:27:04 GMT

The band are to be handed the outstanding contribution to music prize at the NME Awards later this month.

Radcliffe beaten at US box office

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:54:06 GMT

Chronicle, a film about teenagers with super powers, beats Daniel Radcliffe thriller The Woman in Black to top the North American film chart.

David Jason moves behind the camera

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:26:19 GMT

Sir David Jason moves behind the camera

Titanic cameraman dies in crash

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:41:02 GMT

Award-winning underwater cinematographer Mike deGruy dies in a helicopter crash in Australia.

Contest to boost reading for fun

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:05:59 GMT

The government is planning to create a national reading competition in England to encourage a love of books and boost children's literacy.

Artist set for Facebook windfall

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:13:34 GMT

A US graffiti artist who painted Facebook's offices is set to become a millionaire when the social network begins trading as a public company.

Broadcasters urge PM on court ban

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:09:24 GMT

Three of the UK's biggest news providers write to the prime minister urging legislation to overturn the ban on cameras in courtrooms to be included in this year's Queen's Speech.

Amanda Holden to return to BGT

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:51:59 GMT

The presenter says she is to return to the TV talent show next Saturday after recovering from the traumatic birth of her second daughter.

AUDIO: Sir Cliff Richard proud of monarchy

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:14:21 GMT

Sir Cliff Richard told BBC Radio 5 live's Pienaar's Politics that he has great respect for The Queen.

Working with Lucian Freud

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:44:45 GMT

A unique insight by his assistant, model and friend, David Dawson

BBC accuses Iran of intimidation

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:47 GMT

The BBC's Director General, Mark Thompson, accuses the Iranian authorities of intimidating those working for its Persian service.

Fassbender scoops Standard award

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:52:07 GMT

Michael Fassbender wins the best actor prize at the Evening Standard British Film Awards for his roles in sex addiction drama Shame and Jane Eyre.

Military Wives song raises £500k

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:18:31 GMT

A song by Devon's Military Wives choir which topped the Christmas singles chart has raised more than £500,000 for two forces' charities, it is revealed.

'BBC journalists' held in Iran

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:32:42 GMT

Reports from Iran say several people have been detained for alleged links to the BBC's Persian Service, which is banned in the country.

VIDEO: Dickens's London: Prison to the pub

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:14:32 GMT

The prison, the pub and other landmarks that influenced author

VIDEO: Iran 'intimidating BBC Persian'

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:25:09 GMT

The BBC's director general Mark Thompson has accused the Iranian authorities of intimidating those working for its Persian service.

Finborough scoops theatre awards

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:56:11 GMT

The Finborough Theatre is the big winner at this year's Off West End Theatre Awards.

Madonna 'brassy' at Super Bowl

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:47:31 GMT

Madonna "rose to the occasion" to give "a shot of female brass" to the Super Bowl in her 12-minute half-time show, reviewers say.

Phil Spector death case settled

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:21:53 GMT

The mother of the actress Phil Spector murdered has settled a wrongful death case against the music producer, according to her lawyer.

Being Human exit was 'horrendous'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:52:12 GMT

The death of character George Sands left cast and crew in tears says actress Lenora Crichlow.

Residents say no to film-makers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:14:40 GMT

The residents fed-up with movie stars and camera crews

Hackney ticket registration opens

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:16:24 GMT

Ticket registration for BBC Radio 1's Hackney Weekend has opened, with 100,000 tickets to be allocated.

Dickens 'beyond' modern children

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 15:30:44 GMT

Charles Dickens biographer Claire Tomalin says children are not being taught to read with the attention span necessary to appreciate the novelist's works.

Prince leads Dickens celebrations

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:55:15 GMT

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will lead global celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens's birth later.