The newly reformed (well, four of them anyway ;-) Take That have been announced as one of the stars of this year's Royal Variety Performance, which will be staged at the London Coliseum.


The 2006 show will be held on Monday, December the 4th, and will be hosted for the first time by tv/radio presenter Jonathan Ross.

Take That are expected to perform their #1 hit comeback single Patience, with other musical stars on the bill including the Sugababes, James Morrison, Jamelia, Meat Loaf (who recently released Bat out of Hell 3), Rod Stewart, and Barry Manilow.


The 2006 Royal Variety Performance will also feature some of London's top theatre performers... Idina Menzel and Helen Dallimore - the stars of the West End production of Wicked; Connie Fisher and the cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's revival of The Sound of Music; Tim Curry, Hannah Waddingham, and the West End company of Monty Python's Spamalot; and the London cast of Avenue Q.


John Barrowman (star of BBC3's Doctor Who spin-off show, Torchwood) will also appear. Barrowman - an experienced theatre leading man - revealed recently he was offered the role of Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music after Simon Shepherd left the show, but was unable to fit it into his schedule.

Other acts include Peter Andre & Katie Price (Jordan), comedians Lee Mack, Omid Djalili, and Ken Dodd, plus Quick-Change performers David & Dania (stars of US TV talent show, America's Got Talent)...

Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will attend the show, which will be filmed for television.

* Royal Variety Performance 2006

Matt Damon is still on the run in The Bourne Ultimatum, the third chapter of the Bourne trilogy, currently shooting in London and Europe.

And now his main nemesis has been found... Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramirez (Domino, Vantage Point) will play the role of Paz, a super-assassin hot on the trail of amnesia affected spy Jason Bourne, as he uncovers his past. (Previous reports suggested Gael Garcia Bernal was in talks to play the role).

Actors Julia Stiles and Joan Allen return for The Bourne Ultimatum. UK director Paul Greengrass is again (unfortunately) heading the film, after directing the second chapter, The Bourne Supremacy Greengrass was responsible for the really bad stomach-churning car chase scenes, and the decision to go for doco-style artsy shots over an understandable plot.

It's unfortunate that Doug Liman - director of the fantastic original Bourne Identity - couldn't be enticed back into the big chair to get the series back on track (although he's again listed as an Executive Producer).

The Bourne Ultimatum is due for release in cinemas around August 2007.


* Backstage: Ramirez Nabs Killer Role in Third 'Bourne'

Newly reformed british "boyband" Take That are hoping to turn their 90's back-catalogue into a hit new stage musical in London.

The group, who are one of the most successful British bands since the Beatles, sold over 25 million records around the world before splitting up in 1996.

Now Take That are looking to follow the likes of Abba, Queen, and Boney M in creating a musical based around their many hit singles. The band are co-producing the musical, which is expected to open in a West End theatre around the middle of next year.

Some of Take That's biggest pop hits include Back for Good, Pray, Relight My Fire, Babe, Everything Changes, Never Forget, and How Deep Is Your Love.

Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Howard Donald reformed earlier this year for a massively successful reunion tour, playing to over half a million people.

They're now preparing to release their first studio album in over a decade, Beautiful World. Lead single, Patience is due out on November 20th in the UK, and tipped to shoot to the top of the charts.


Take That - Patience (Video shot in Iceland)