This year's Oscar hopefuls did their best to forget the competition and enjoy the annual nominees' Academy Awards lunch on Monday.

Actors Kevin Spacey, Tom Cruise and Annette Bening were among the stars to attend the Beverly Hills function, designed to honour all nominees for the prestigious awards.

"I think everybody should be proud to even be here today," said Denzel Washington, who is nominated for best actor for his role in The Hurricane.

Robert Rehme, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences also stressed that there were "no winners and no non-winners," at the event.

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More awards for Beauty movie

American Beauty has swept the board at yet another US award ceremony this time handed out by Chicago critics.

It won best picture, best director and best actor for Kevin Spacey. Spacey's neighbour in the film, Wes Bentley, won the trophy for most promising actor.

Hilary Swank carried off the best actress award for Boys Don't Cry.

The best supporting prizes went to Tom Cruise for Magnolia and Chloe Sevigny for Boys Don't Cry.

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'Sexy' Sarah to host MTV awards

Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker is set to host this year's MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles.

The ceremony, to be held in June, includes traditional acting awards but also features trophies for categories such as best kiss and best villain.

Nominees for the ninth annual event will be announced next month.

Previous hosts have included Will Smith, Mike Myers and Samuel L Jackson.

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Vanessa offered centrefold career

TV host Vanessa Feltz has been offered the chance to pose for sexy centrefold spreads since losing five stone.

Vanessa, who is now a size 12, says she has been inundated with offers to do fitness videos and sexy pictures.

Although flattered, she said they would need "a lot of gauze and judiciously placed orchids and fig leaves".

She returns, fully clothed, to TV in a new show called Talking TV on Friday.

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Van Outen scoops top TV award

Former Big Breakfast presenter Denise Van Outen has been voted Britain's Favourite Cable TV Personality.

Readers of listings magazine Cable Guide were impressed by the 25-year-old's appearances on Sky One's Prickly Heat gameshow and her role in the drama Tube Tales.

Other award winners included Jerry Springer and the channels MTV, Sky Sports 1, and the Sci-fi Channel.

Alan Titchmarsh and Carol Smilie hosted the awards at London's Hilton Hotel.

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Heartbeat's canine star dies

The dog who has starred as Claude Greengrass's sidekick mutt Alfred in Heartbeat has died aged 14 after suffering from leukaemia.

The lurcher, real name Tramp, spent seven years on the show before retiring two years ago through back trouble.

At one stage the animal was receiving more fan mail than former Heartbeat star Nick Berry.

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Television series said: "People thought he was the cutest thing on TV."