Veteran actor Kirk Douglas and his wife have unveiled their 400th school playground - concluding their decade-long effort to provide a safe place for Californian kids to play.

On Wednesday, Douglas, 91, rode down a slide at the opening of Beethoven Street Elementary School’s newest grounds in Culver City, California - a ritual he has performed at every ceremony.

Amy Winehouse has confirmed her appearance at former South African President Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday concert this summer, after reportedly accepting a personal invitation from the ex-politician last month.

Organisers recently promised further A-list stars would be added to the London bill, in order to “surprise” Mandela and music fans when the gig takes place in Hyde Park on 27 June.

Funnyman Adam Sandler is set to receive MTV’s highest honour at the their 17th Annual Movie Awards this year.

Sandler will be presented with the music network’s Generation Award after bosses decided the 41-year-old star is a leading entertainer among their increasingly younger audience.

The actor-comedian, known for his over-the-top antics on and off screen, will be also feted for his “amazing contributions to Hollywood”.

Executives at clothing company American Apparel have hit back at Woody Allen’s claims they used his image in their advertising without permission, insisting the campaign was meant as a parody.

The veteran director sued the company in March, claiming he was never contacted by the firm - which is known for its provocative ads - about the billboard and online advertisements. The ads featured an image - taken from the 1977 movie Annie Hall - of Allen dressed as a Hasidic Jew.

Shia LaBeouf’s briefs are up for grabs on auction website eBay.

The actor’s costume from the film A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is on sale.

The odd item, which currently stands at $400, features grey sweatpants, a pair of white briefs and socks - and comes with a letter of authenticity and makeup stains.

Actress Tori Spelling’s wish to reprise her role in hit TV show Beverly Hills, 90210 has been granted - she will return to the part that shot her to fame in a new spin-off series.

The star - whose late father, TV producer Aaron Spelling, created the original show - has finally confirmed rumours she will be joining her pal Jennie Garth, who plays Kelly Taylor, in the forthcoming programme.

Paula Abdul’s dancing dreams have been shattered by the producer of American Idol - he doesn’t want his top judge appearing on rival show Dancing With The Stars.

Abdul, a former choreographer, has made no secret of her desire to compete on Dancing With The Stars, revealing in a recent interview: “I’d be honoured. I want to wear the pretty dresses!”

Self-styled “good Jewish boy” Michael Sophocles has finally been given the boot from BBC1’s The Apprentice.
 
The 25-year-old Edgware native came a cropper after losing a task in which the candidates had to make money by renting posh cars. He had escaped being fired by Sir Alan Sugar on several previous occasions.
 
Michael’s most memorable moment in the series came during a task in which candidates had to buy a kosher chicken from a market in the Moroccan capital Marrakech.
 
While the non-Jewish apprentices managed this successfully, Michael and his team failed to understand what kosher was and how it differed from halal.
 
When quizzed by Sir Alan as to why he proclaims himself ‘a good Jewish boy’, Sophocles revealed he was only half-Jewish. On The Apprentice You’re Fired, DJ Trevor Nelson told Sophocles that even he “was more Jewish”.
 
A TV insider said: “Michael was very jammy. He seemed to have thought that he could appeal to Sir Alan by saying he was Jewish, even though quite clearly he had no interest in any aspect of his Jewish background. The fact he did not even know the meaning of the word ‘L’Chaim’ and knew ’schmuck’ said it all really.”
 
Michael admitted during his interview in The Apprentice: You’re Fired that “it was a horrific mistake” when referring to the infamous kosher chicken incident. However he didn’t reveal anything more about his Jewish background or why he considers himself to be a good Jewish boy.

Legendary crooner Neil Diamond considered adopting a moniker when he first hit the music scene - because he didn’t think his given name was glamorous enough for a career in showbusiness.

The Sweet Caroline singer was disillusioned with his sparkling surname, and was desperate to change it before his debut LP The Feel Of Neil Diamond hit record stores in 1966.

Robert Downy Jr has been tipped to play legendary porn mogul Hugh Hefner in a big-screen biopic - after reportedly impressing the Playboy entrepreneur with his lead role in Iron Man.

Veteran lothario Hefner was so pleased with the former hellraiser’s portrayal of wealthy playboy Tony Stark in this year’s comic blockbuster, he is desperate to sign him up for the role.

Troubled singer Amy Winehouse has hit out at movie bosses behind forthcoming James Bond film Quantum Of Solace - for taking too long to decide whether to use one of her songs as the theme tune.

The Back To Black hitmaker recently confirmed she has been working on a possible title track for the 007 picture and is just waiting for film chiefs to give her offerings the green light.

Fans of Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson will miss out on the chance to see her sing on stage - the star has ruled out embarking on a tour to promote her new album Anywhere I Lay My Head.

The Matchpoint star released her debut album last week, a collection of Tom Waits covers, but has no plans to follow up the LP with any live dates.

Funnyman Adam Sandler is to be a father for the second time - his wife Jackie Titone is three and half months pregnant.

The Big Daddy star, 41, and Titone, 33, will welcome the new addition to their family in October.

Sandler went public with his baby news during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Jaws star Richard Dreyfuss is in negotiations to complete the all-star cast of Oliver Stone’s George W Bush biopic - and play Vice-President Dick Cheney.

Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks have already signed on to play the President and First Lady Laura Bush, and Thandie Newton and Scott Glenn will play Condoleezza Rice and Donald Rumsfeld respectively.

The film has started shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is scheduled to hit the big screen in October.

Amy Winehouse has confirmed she has been working on the title track from forthcoming Bond movie Quantum Of Solace - following weeks of speculation about the track.

The troubled star was rumoured to have been dropped as the film’s official musical muse after DJ Mark Ronson told reporters he had scrapped his 007 collaboration with the singer because she was not “ready” to work on music after a recent return to her erratic ways.

Troubled songstress Amy WinehouseE has refuted reports she is set to travel to Israel to receive rehabilitative treatment to kick her alleged drug addiction.

According to the Jewish Chronicle, the singer was reportedly ordered by her management to undergo a “very short, intensive and effective treatment” costing $12,800 at the western Asian country’s Barzilai Medical Centre.

But Chris Goodman, a spokesman for the singer, insists the 24-year-old Rehab hitmaker has “no plans” to fly to Israel.

Neil Diamond has publicly credited moviemaker Quentin Tarantino for his career comeback - because the use of Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon in Pulp Fiction gave the crooner a big boost.

Oddly, Diamond initially turned down Tarantino’s approach because he feared the scene featuring Urge Overkill’s rendition of his moody classic glorified drugs and drug use.