Pop mogul Pete Waterman has been awarded a university doctorate for services to the music industry.

He was given the honour by Coventry University at a ceremony at the city's cathedral.

Waterman, currently one of the judges on ITV1's Pop Idol, has been behind 21 UK number one singles, including those in Kylie Minogue's earyl career.

"I was very surprised and honoured to be given this award and, as a lifelong Coventrian, to be acknowledged in my home town makes me very proud," he said.

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National Film Theatre turns 50

The National Film Theatre is celebrating its 50th birthday with a special 12-month focus on film stars such as the late Sir Alec Guinness.

Starting in January, the event will also include a newly commissioned history of the NFT in February and a look back at the work of innovative English director Alan Clarke.

Other stars to figure alongside Guinness include James Stewart and directors Eric Rohmer and Erich von Stroheim.

The NFT was established by the British Film Institute in 1952 and has since played a key role in promoting the appreciation of film, television and video in the UK.

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S Club 7 launch Children in Need

Pop group S Club 7 have launched this year's Children in Need appeal in London on Thursday.

The band appeared at the BT Tower to flick the switch on the telephone donation hotline ahead of Friday night's BBC TV charity spectacular.

BT expects to receive 200,000 calls from people wishing to pledge cash for the appeal, which it is hoped will top the �20m raised last year.

S Club 7's new single Have You Ever will also raise money for the appeal.

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Ball to take lead in Chitty musical

West End star Michael Ball is to take the lead role in a new stage version of children's film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The 39-year-old, who has starred in hit shows Aspects of Love and The Phantom of the Opera, will play the part of Caractacus Potts in the musical.

Newcomer Emma Williams is going to star alongside Ball in the show which opens at the London Palladium next spring.

The 18-year-old said: "This is a dream come true." She said she learnt the songs from the film in her childhood.

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Usher postpones tour through injury

Singer Usher has been forced to delay the start of his US tour by at least three months after he dislocated his shoulder.

The R&B singer is currently in hospital after undergoing surgery for his injury, sustained last week.

According to his publicist, Usher - whose latest hit is U Got It Bad - hurt his shoulder while rehearsing a dance number for the tour.

The tour was due to kick off on 6 December in Minneapolis. It has now been rescheduled to start in April.

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Fonda scraps festival appearance

Veteran actor Peter Fonda has been forced to pull out of the Regus London Film Festival after falling ill.

The Easy Rider star was due to appear at the festival to give a speech at the screening of his 1971 western The Hired Hand on Thursday.

But after being struck down with flu doctors advised him not to travel.

His talk at the National Film Theatre will be replaced by an additional screening of Monsoon Wedding, one of the hits of the festival.