The actress Lesley Fitz-Simons literally sailed into the Scottish soap opera Take the High Road in 1983. She was first seen stepping on to land in the fictional village of Glendarroch from the ferry boat that took her character, Sheila Lamont (later Ramsay), to and from school across the water in Auchtarn. The bright teenager soon brought scandal to the tightly knit community, becoming pregnant by Eddie Ramsay, a petty criminal, during her final year at school. With her father furious, mother distressed and chances of going to university dashed, she left for Glasgow, had the baby and gave it up for adoption – not even knowing whether it was a boy or a girl.

When Iceland’s Prime Minister makes an official visit to China next week, it will not be the signing of a free-trade deal gripping the nation: instead, it will be the level of attention lavished on the first lady that is closely watched, for signs of shifting social attitudes in the Communist nation.

Church launches video flyer in response to its depiction in the hit satirical musical, The Book of Mormon

I went to a West End theatre on Sunday night – not something I would normally mention in this column, but it was rather a special occasion.

A spokesperson said 'he is alive and well in Moscow'

Executive director Nick Starr will also leave to 'make room for next generation'

There's a mock-up of a Dublin bar on the stage of the Phoenix Theatre (all foxed mirrors and nicotine-stained walls) and in the build-up to the show and during the interval, punters are invited to mosey on down and have a jar (or rather a plastic glass with a baby-proof non-spill lid) of some Irish tipple, while the cast perform a vigorous in-yer-face hootenany – all swirling fiddles, and chthonic stamping that makes the sisters' efforts in Dancing at Lughnasa look to be a tiny bit the dansant by comparison.

Theatre stars such as James McAvoy and Billie Piper shared a stage today as nominees for this year's Olivier Awards gathered to celebrate their inclusion on the shortlist.

Cannibals is Rory Mullarkey’s first full-length professional play. Hard, uncompromising and in its literal sense visceral, there are some truly unappetising moments in this brutal and bloody drama. Yet it is far from being a relentless gore-fest.

A portrait of veteran actress Dame Maggie Smith has gone on display at the National Portrait Gallery today.

“King Lear is an oak and I'm more of an ash tree, or a silver birch – or privet,” declares Edward Petherbridge in his silvery, whimsical way. The seventy-six year old actor can smuggle a lot of wry dissidence and bathos through customs with that pit-a-pat mock-distracted, throwaway manner and there's many a fast and delicious aside in My Perfect Mind, a very funny show inspired by a very unfunny real-life setback.

The Arqiva British Academy Television Awards will take place on Sunday May 12 at London's Royal Festival Hall.

Danny Boyle's impressive Olympic opening ceremony and the spoof sitcom inspired by the Games are both in the running for TV Bafta Awards.

The National has opened a brand new theatre. Now it wants new audiences to match