A bluffer's guide through the blizzard of Millennium polls

A big name isn't enough to sell a movie any more. Is this the end of our obsession with celebrities? HERO BROWN reports

The chief executive of the Unique Group, Noel Edmonds's company, responds to Deborah Orr's article about Mr Edmonds leaving the BBC

For the first time in my life and his career, Noel Edmonds has managed to entertain me. His assertion that he's leaving the BBC because "he isn't happy about what is happening to the BBC, and very sad about the state of the corporation" is simply hilarious. His timing of the announcement to coincide with the loss of Des Lynam to ITV is surely testament to his desire to make the publicity around his departure as damaging to the beleaguered corporation as possible.

THIS LAST

With Bryan Adams and Simply Red playing later in the week, Hyde Park is becoming a mainstream pop venue of some significance this summer. Boyzone's Ronan Keating is the big name at the Wicked Women concert, a fundraiser for the Breakthrough Breast Cancer charity and will be duetting with Emma Bunton (aka Baby Spice). With a backing band led by Midge Ure, the concert will see short sharp appearances from around 20 artists. Republica (right), Martine McCutcheon, Honeyz Gabrielle and Lisa Stansfield are here, while Mark Morrison, Big Country and Errol Brown represent the guys. Dina Carroll and Kele Le Roc are sure to put in great vocal performances but the one not to miss live is the excellent Beverley Knight.

What better way to spend next month's eclipse? Pay pounds 150 to sit around in mud listening to rich pop stars.

THE FLEADH FINSBURY PARK LONDON

In 1990, few non-Gaelic speakers knew what Fleadh (festival of music) meant, never mind how it should be pronounced. Now, with today's 10th instalment, "fleadh" has almost become a household word. It's impossible to predict the mood of the curmudgeonly Van Morrison (left), but there's always something of merit in his shows and when he's on form he's unmissable. Elvis Costello, the Pretenders and Ronan Keating are the other big draws on the main stage while the excellent Ron Sexsmith and other singer-songwriters populate the second stage, headlined by Shane MacGowan & the Popes. A third tent features Ardal O'Hanlon and other comics plus a few worthwhile musical nuggets including the Handsome Family.

Main claim

MEAT LOAF

Tony Blair is not a tribalist. That is what distinguishes him from so many of his Labour colleagues

Miss World, a horse of the year show with one eye on world peace, is back. No need to applaud

THEY SAID there would be no swimsuits. This was going to be the new, cool, post-modern Miss World. No swimsuits and stilettos! They were so yesteryear, so old beauty pageant, so sexist. And Miss World was anything but sexist. Obviously. Just listen to the show's producer: "Swimsuits on stage, now that was always really offensive. That smacked of cattle market - or even worse, some awful 1950s seaside beauty contest."