Barbra Streisand is back in the record books after setting new theatre bests at 14 of the 16 venues she played during her recent North American tour.

The Yentl singer’s 20 shows, which wrapped up in Los Angeles last week grossed a staggering $92.5 million and set records in almost all of the arenas she played.

And the only person who beat her at Madison Square Garden in New York and Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena was herself.

Hollywood legend Dustin Hoffman says he would love to star in sequels of the films that made him famous.

The veteran actor dreams of the opportunity to revisit old characters because he has so many inventive script ideas.

“I’d love to have done a sequel to everyone of ‘em. They just never happened for whatever reason,” he says. “Mike Nichols and I would talk about a sequel to The Graduate. What would Benjamin wind up doing? He probably would have stayed in LA and wound up directing commercials.”

Any controversy surrounding Mel Brooks’ The Producers and the portrayal of Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich looks set to pale into insignificance as Mein Fuhrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler, is released.

The German comedy, which portrays the esteemed Nazi leader as a bedwetter who has a problem getting an erect penis is being touted as a potential box office smash as well as Oscar material.

BBC chairman Michael Grade is jumping channels to become the new executive chairman of ITV in the New Year.

With over 30 years experience in TV, including being controller of BBC1 and chief executive of Channel 4, Grade is a major coup for the beleaguered TV network.

ITV, currently without a chief executive will have 63-year-old Grade as its most senior boss. While in his new role, Grade will be responsible for day-to-day management of the broadcaster and will also look to find a chief executive to join him.

Just as Borat passes the $100m mark at the US box office, so it seems Kazakhstan is being called to embrace the Jewish brain behind it – Sacha Baron Cohen.

The comedian has had his name suggested for a national award in Kazakhstan, despite lampooning the country in the film.

The movie was originally slammed by country officials for portraying Kazakhstan as a backward place that was intolerant to minorities, including Jews.

A play by Sir Tom Stoppard, set in Prague between the years 1968 and 1990, has won this year’s prestigious Best Play prize at the Evening Standard’s Theatre Awards. Rock’n'Roll also saw actor Rufus Sewell pick up the award for Best Actor.

Sir Tom, who is currently in New York for the opening of his play The Coast of Utopia, was unable to attend the ceremony, but spoke on film, saying, “This is not a good time for me to be 3000 miles away. I thank the Evening Standard and am honoured.