Two famous Jewish faces are among the line-up of participants in the new series of ITV1’s I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here.

TV presenters Dani Behr and Esther Rantzen will be joining the other eight contestants, including Star Trek favourite George Takei, tennis ace Martina Navratilova and politician Robert Kilroy-Silk, in the Australian outback when the show begins on November 16.

Veteran Shakespearean actor Sir Derek Jacobi has said he would love to reprise his leading role in the short film Sidney Turtlebaum, following its premiere at the UK Jewish Film Festival in London.

Sir Derek, who played the lead role in the film, as an elderly Jewish gay conman, who scams mourners at shivas, said: “Sidney is utterly unique. It is only a short film but it is a character with a future and I offer it up to any producer.”

EastEnders actress Rita Simons has won one of the top prizes at the annual National Television Awards.

The 31-year-old - who is the niece of businessman Sir Alan Sugar - received the Best Newcomer award at the ceremony, held at London’s Albert Hall for her role as Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders.

The awards are voted for by members of the public, and Simons beat stars from Casualty, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street to take the prize.

Ever wondered what Hollywood’s Jewish population gets up to on Kol Nidre? Just the same as everybody else, it would appear – only  they do it at the Creative Arts Temple in Los Angeles. A DVD of the synagogue’s Kol Nidre service is now available free on request from the Temple, and gives an eye-opening insight into religion, Hollywood style.

Actor Jeremy Piven is celebrating after winning one of the top awards at the annual Emmys.
 
The star, who plays agent Ari Gold in the hit show Entourage, won Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series for his role in the Hollywood-based show. He beat co-star Kevin Dillon to the award.

Musician and producer Mark Ronson has made a name for himself by twiddling the knobs for the likes of Lily Allen and fellow kosher hitmaker Amy Winehouse. Caroline Westbrook chats to the man himself about being Jewish, making music and telling jokes.

Jewish comedians Simon Amstell and Mark Maier are among those taking part in a charity event next month to mark the second anniversary of the London bombings on July 7 2005.

Mim’s Comedy Night, at London’s Comedy Store, will be held on July 9, and honour the memory of Miriam Hyman a 32-year-old victim of the bombings.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Miriam Hyman Memorial Fund which supports the work of charity Orbis to eliminate avoidable blindness globally