Beverly Hills 90210 star Jason Priestley is to make his British stage debut in the New Year.

Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh in the American teen drama, will appear in a version of the Broadway play Side Man in London's West End.

The 30-year-old Canadian actor will be joined by original cast-members Edie Falco and Frank Wood when the play opens at the Apollo Theatre in February.

Side Man is set in New York and follows a group of jazz musicians from their Fifties heyday to difficult times in the 1980s.

The play, which earned two Tony Award nominations, will run for 12 weeks in the UK.

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TV actors join Art cast

Grafters actor Stephen Tompkinson and Holby City heart-throb Michael French are to team up in the hit West End play Art.

The pair will be joined by Vicar Of Dibley star James Fleet for a 12-week run of the acclaimed show, starting in February.

They follow in the footsteps of Frank Skinner, Jack Dee, Tom Courtenay and Albert Finney who have also previously appeared in Art.

The play follows three friends whose lives are turned upside down when one of them buys a piece of modern art.

It is co-produced by Sean Connery and has been running for three years at London's Wyndham's Theatre.

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Beckham puts fizz into Pepsi ads

Manchester United star David Beckham has been signed up by soft drinks giant Pepsi for its new TV advertising campaign.

Posh Spice's husband appears alongside Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi in a commercial to be shown in Britain next year.

Filming took place on Monday at Juventus' stadium in Turin.

But Pepsi are staying tight-lipped about Beckham's role in the advertisement and his pay packet.

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Critics name Three Kings as best film

Gulf War drama Three Kings has been named movie of the year by critics in the US city of Boston.

The film starring George Clooney scored a second success when David O Russell was voted best director.

Jim Carrey was named best actor for Man on The Moon, and Hilary Swank was voted best actress for Boys Don't Cry.

The annual round of awards from critics in major US cities provides a useful pointer to possible Oscar nominations.

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Paltrow 'in talks' with Farrelly Brothers

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow is in talks to star in Shallow Hal - a new film by the Farrelly brothers, according to the Hollywood entertainment paper, Variety.

Writers Peter and Bobby Farrelly are best known for their over-the-top comedies, including the 1998 smash hit There's Something About Mary.

Paltrow's next film, The Talented Mr Ripley, opens in the UK early next year.

The thriller co-stars Matt Damon and Jude Law and is directed by The English Patient's Anthony Minghella.

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Carrey reveals talent for cheesy comedy

Jim Carrey, who plays Andy Kaufman in the film Man in the Moon, shares the late comedian's fondness for pranks.

Co-star and producer Danny De Vito says: "I remember once that my trailer stank to high heaven because he'd put limburger (a very smelly cheese) and salami between my mattresses."

"He cheesed everybody," recalls De Vito. "If he knew an important person was coming to the set, he'd rub his hands with limburger... and they'd wind up stinking of the stuff."

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Tumbleweeds star Janet's spending spree

British actress Janet McTeer admits she didn't get rich from her critically-acclaimed role in Tumbleweeds.

McTeer, whose role as a highly-strung Southern mother in the low-budget film may win her an Oscar nomination, said: "I actually earned less than I spent."

She revealed that she prepared for the film due out next year by "watching Coalminer's Daughter 22 million times" and then spending three months in North Carolina "just listening".