Oscar-winning British director Sam Mendes has donated a prestigious scholarship worth thousands of pounds to a student.

The 34-year-old American Beauty film-maker was named as this year's winner of the Shakespeare Prize for achievements in the arts by the Hamburg-based Alfred Toepfer Foundation.

But he gave the accompanying Shakespeare Scholarship - worth �15,000 - �20,000 - to Hugh Welchman, a final-year student at the National Film and Television School.

Welchman, 25, who plans to use the grant to co-produce a film with backers from France and Germany, said: "I am really pleased to have been picked by Sam Mendes."

He is the third pupil to be presented with a Shakespeare Scholarship, after directors John Schlesinger and Lord Attemborough gave theirs away in 1981 and 1992 respectively.

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TOTP premieres Robbie video

The video for Robbie Williams' new single will be given its premiere on BBC One's Top Of The Pops on Friday.

The programme rarely shows videos - preferring to get stars into the studio - but bosses have made an exception.

Williams will record a special introduction to the video.

He will also be in the show's Elstree studios on Thursday to record a performance of the track Rock DJ for future transmission.

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MGM picture released straight to TV

The director of MGM film Things You Can Tell By Just Looking At Her has lashed out at the studio after they sold the film straight to television.

The film about single women living in LA stars Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Calista Flockhart and Cameron Diaz.

"We believe that television is the right way to introduce this unique and heartfelt film," said an MGM spokesman.

But director Rodrigo Marquez, slammed the studio: "They are wimps," he said.

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Luther Vandross still live and singing

Soul singer Luther Vandross told audiences at the Essence Festival last weekend that rumours of his death had been greatly exaggerated.

Concerns over his health were raised by the once chubby Vandross' rapid weightloss - but he reassured fans that this was due to a new health and fitness regime.

"I exercise five days a week, eat 1,000 calories a day, and there ain't nothin' wrong with me - I sure sing good for a dead man!" he told the cheering crowd.

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Anthony Edwards to produce new movie

ER star Anthony Edwards is joining forces with actress-writer Akousua Busia on a big-screen version of her novel The Seasons of Beento Blackbird.

The pair met on the set of ER, where Busia appeared on a regular basis as the wife of a political refugee.

She will direct the film, while Edwards will produce. Samuel L Jackson is to star, with Lynn Whitfield and Djimon Hounsou also included in the cast.

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Ward to marry long-term lesbian partner

Actress Sophie Ward is to "marry" her lesbian lover in a private ceremony next Tuesday, according to The Sun.

Sophie, a former cover girl and star of the TV series A Village Affair, adapted from the book by Joanna Trollope, made public her lesbianism four years ago.

She walked out on her husband of eight years, vet Paul Hobson, to set up home with the American writer, Rena Brannan.

A friend quoted by the newspaper said the pair were "as much in love as ever".

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Sailing tragedy inspiration for novel

Author Sebastian Junger has talked about the inspiration for his book The Perfect Storm, which has been adapted into a blockbusting Hollywood film.

Junger told National Geographic he injured his leg with a chain-saw while working for a tree-cutting company.

As he was recuperating, he thought about people who take risks and heroism.

He then heard about the storm which struck a fishing boat. "So I thought I'd write about the Andrea Gail."

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DreamWorks film goes into evolution

Ivan Reitman, the director of the hugely successful Ghostbusters films, is set to make a new sci-fi comedy for Spielberg's DreamWorks studio.

Evolution will follow the chaos that ensues when a meteor hits earth and the single-celled organisms living on it suddenly mutate.

Reitman said Evolution will be a challenge "because you are mixing serious and comedic elements".

He hopes to start shooting in November.