Richard Griffiths, who has died aged 65, was a character actor with a touch of genius about him. He often played borderline creepy types -  the camp uncle, the school teacher with amorous designs on his pupils - but he brought such humour and pathos to these roles that you always rooted for him.

Born in North Yorkshire, Griffiths was famous for his roles in the Harry Potter series, Withnail And I, and The History Boys

The Shard might have only transformed London's skyline  last year, and its viewing platform only opened to the public a fortnight ago, but it has already been featured (and shattered, in fact) in an episode of Doctor Who.

Love is in the air for the stars of the Doctor Who Christmas Day special.

My parents were... understandably worried when I told them that I wanted to be a professional actor, because in Swaziland, where I grew up, there was no prospect of earning a living doing that.

A Spall victory

And the winner is... Yes, after the Oscars, who can doubt that the brothers Weinstein, Harvey and his younger sibling Bob, are back on top in Hollywood? The Weinstein Company distributed The Artist in the US, and orchestrated its campaign to win Best Picture, and that wasn't the only one of the firm's movies taking plaudits.

Who knew that the actor Paul McGann has signed the Official Secrets Act? More to the point, who knows why? The Act may be renowned for keeping some pretty trivial things secret, such as the number of Rich Tea biscuits consumed at the MoD, but really, what could McGann of all people possibly know that would place the realm in mortal peril?

Starring: Richard E Grant, Theo Stevenson, Anjelica Huston

Time to bid for a Victorian mahogany armchair, lead garden urn and library ladders from the cult film, says Annie Deakin

It was used as the backdrop for one of the most recognisable scenes in the cult film Withnail and I. Now The Mother Black Cap, where the characters played by Richard E Grant and Paul McGann were accused of being "perfumed ponces", has been knocked down to make way for flats.

Two-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep has been transformed for her role as former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher - complete with the Iron Lady's trademark hairdo.

Starring: Laura Fraser, Richard E Grant

The late J D Salinger, Howard Hughes, Greta Garbo – all masters at hiding from the public. But it works only if the public wants to see you in the first place