BBC News | Entertainment | Travolta's jet scare (original) (raw)

Hollywood star John Travolta was involved in a real-life drama when a plane in which he was travelling was forced to make an emergency landing.

Travolta's private Boeing 707 was flying from Los Angeles to Maine when an engine overheated and shut down.

It made the emergency landing at Logan International Airport in Boston.

An airport official said it was not clear whether Travolta, a licensed pilot, had been flying the plane.

Stigmata takes top spot in movie chart

Bruce Willis has been knocked from the top of the US movie chart by a new horror film, Stigmata, according to the latest box-office estimates.

The movie stars Gabriel Byrne as a priest investigating claims by a young woman, played by Patricia Arquette, that she is marked by Christ's crucifixion wounds.

Directed by Briton Rupert Wainwright, the movie earned an estimated $19.3m (�12.06m) over the weekend.

The Bruce Willis thriller Sixth Sense dropped to second place after five weeks at No 1.

Blur auction boosts community coffers

Pop band Blur sold off memorabilia celebrating their 10 years together in a fund-raising auction on Sunday.

The sale included the milk carton from Blur's latest video for Coffee and TV, and rare programmes from the Parklife Japanese tour which sold for �15 each. The most expensive item sold was a guitar which raised �2,050.

The auction raised nearly �10,000 for Hoxton Hall arts and community centre in east London, at which singer Damon Albarn worked as a teenager.

The sale was part of a weekend of celebrations which included an exhibition charting the group's rise held at the Lux Gallery in Hoxton Square.

Martine's perfect screen moment on hold

Actress and pop star Martine McCutcheon looks set to miss out on her big screen debut because filming clashes with her first pop tour.

The former EastEnders star had been due to star in real-life underworld story The Guv'nor, but filming has been delayed because the American backers have pulled out.

"By the time they start re-filming, I'm going to be doing my concerts so that's not much good for me," said 23-year-old Martine.

The star, who is at number two in the album charts, with You, Me And Us, confirmed that her November tour would take precedence over the revised dates for the film.

American beauty collects film honours

Acclaimed new film American Beauty has been honoured at the Boston Film Festival - before the movie even opens.

Awards have gone to Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, stars of the dark comedy about family dysfunction.

The film, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival at the weekend, is the first movie from top British theatre director Sam Mendes.

It opens in New York and LA this week.

Hot cookery title goes to Delia Smith

Delia Smith has been crowned queen of the cooks for the huge impact she has had on British cooking, according to a new poll.

She came top with 41% of the vote in a survey of 1,000 people commissioned by Bramley apple growers. Second was Mrs Beeton with 16%.

Ainsley Harriott was the third most popular choice (10%), followed by Gary Rhodes and Keith Floyd (7% each).