JULIA ROBERTS is hoping it'll be third time lucky at the next OSCARS as she leads the field to win a GOLDEN GLOBE on January 21 (01).

The actress is red hot favourite to take home a Golden Globe - often a clear indication of who will claim an Oscar in March (01).

Roberts has been nominated for her real-life drama ERIN BROCKOVICH but faces stiff competition from pop star BJORK, who picked up a coveted Palm d'Or for her role in DANCER IN THE DARK at the CANNES FILM FESTIVAL in May (00), and JOAN ALLEN, who has been acclaimed for THE CONTENDER.

If Roberts does win, she'll become the first actress to pick up three Golden Globes, after winning awards for her roles in STEEL MAGNOLIAS and PRETTY WOMAN. She has been nominated for two Oscars but failed to win both times.

Meanwhile, Spanish actor JAVIER BARDEM's dedicated preparation for the part of a Cuban writer with AIDS in BEFORE NIGHT FALLS has paid off - he too has a Best Actor Golden Globe nod in a Drama, announced this morning (22DEC00) in Hollywood. Bardem not only had to learn to speak English for the part, but had to learn to speak it with a heavy Cuban accent. He'll compete with RUSSELL CROWE, MICHAEL DOUGLAS, GEOFFREY RUSH and TOM HANKS.

A 51-year-old unemployed man from the south of England has been arrested following the christening of MADONNA and GUY RITCHIE's son ROCCO in Dornoch Cathedral, Scotland yesterday.

The man, who had allegedly concealed himself inside the cathedral during the baptism, is being detained at Dornoch Police Station.

A spokeswoman for NORTHERN CONSTABULARY said the man has been charged with a number of offences and is expected to appear at Dornoch Sheriff Court at a later date. The confines of the 17th century cathedral and the grounds were the responsibility of a private security firm, while Northern Constabulary were responsible for security around the perimeter. Earlier Madonna and Guy Ritchie looked delighted as they left the cathedral following their son's christening, which preceded their long-awaited wedding due to take place later this morning. (CPT/WNWCAN)

In a landmark decision, the British Court of Appeal has ruled MICHAEL DOUGLAS and CATHERINE ZETA JONES can sue HELLO! magazine for publishing photos of their wedding.

The ruling recognises celebrities, as well as ordinary members of the public, have rights to privacy - and the court said Hello! had violated those rights. The celebrity magazine published photographs of the couple at their New York wedding last month after the couple had signed a exclusive deal with rival publication OK!, said to be worth $1.5 million (Ł1 million).

LORD JUSTICE BROOKE said if the couple and OK! magazine were to sue Hello! they would have the support of English law in protecting the right to personal privacy. If they succeeded, "the bill which Hello! will have to pay is likely to be enormous", he said. "But this is a risk it decided to take." He said the couple were likely to succeed with legal action on the grounds of confidentiality. (NFA/WNWCCB/KW)

Hollywood beauty DEMI MOORE's comfortable world is being racked by scandal - as pornographic teenage photographs of the star return to haunt her.

STRIPTEASE actress Demi, who has three daughters with ex- husband BRUCE WILLIS, posed for the saucy shots when she was just a Tinseltown wannabe, and was happy to forget about them - but thanks to the internet, the sexy snaps are making their way around the world.

The raciest of the photos were published in German PLAYBOY magazine in 1983, while the slightly less revealing versions appeared in OUI magazine. The raunchiest photos could not be shown in America - since naked Demi was just a tender 17 when they were taken.

A source in the porn industry says, "Absolutely nothing is left to the imagination. They are so brazen that it's absolutely startling. Demi is very beautiful, but her poses are pornographic." A friend of the star's adds, "She's got three young daughters, and her responsibilities have increased since she divorced Bruce. She knows those darned pictures are out there somewhere, and she doesn't want her girls to see them. "She'd like to take those photos outside and start a bonfire with them. Then she's know they'd be gone forever." (NFA/NE/KW)

LATEST: The judge who ordered ROBERT DOWNEY JR. to prison for violating probation in an earlier drug case ruled Wednesday that the actor served enough time behind bars.

Superior Court JUDGE LAWRENCE J. MIRA also told the Oscar- nominated star of CHAPLIN that the hearing to "re-evaluate credits on time served" had nothing to do with a pending drug case in Riverside County.

Looking at Downey, who wore a grey blazer, Mira wished the actor good luck. Downey was charged 11 December (00) with two felony drug counts and a misdemeanour stemming from his Thanksgiving weekend arrest at a Palm Springs resort. He will be arraigned 27 December (00) in Indio. The actor didn't speak to reporters when he left the courthouse after Tuesday's brief hearing. Downey currently appears on ALLY MCBEAL, although his status on the show is uncertain. (PDD/HR)

MEL GIBSON witnessed the ultimate role reversal on the set of new comedy WHAT WOMEN WANT - when director NANCY MEYERS demanded hunky male models show her their legs.

Gibson had to wax his legs in new comedy WHAT WOMEN WANT and needed a leg double for retakes, while his own hair started growing back. He says, "You hear about these big directors sitting there with a big cigar asking the girls to show them their legs. "This time, I remember walking in on Nancy and these guys - all with their trousers around their ankles. And Nancy was like,`Come on guys, show me your legs.' Weird." (KL/WNV/KW

GEORGE CLOONEY's favourite Christmas was his neighbour's worst - because he chopped down his tree. The actor cut the tree down after his neighbour shot the family pet - and admits vengeance was very sweet.

Clooney says, "We had a dog that got into a neighbour's yard, and the neighbour shot the dog. It didn't kill him, but it got him good. "Well, this guy had a perfect house with a white fence, and everything was pristine. It had one tree in the front yard - a 15-foot evergreen. I snuck into his yard in the middle of the night with a bow saw, cut it down and used it as our Christmas tree that year. I always thought that was sort of a good Christmas." (KL/WNWC/KW)

Movie star BENJAMIN BRATT was knocked out by SANDRA BULLOCK on the set of his new movie MISS CONGENIALITY - first by her wrestling prowess and then by her caring side.

The sexy actress put Bratt through his paces in the gym for a scenes where she beats him up - but made sure he would be back on the set the next day by providing him with his own personal masseuse.

He says, "I was a wrestler at school and the scene was choreographed like a dance, so I thought I'm gonna go easy on her. But after the first take she was holding nothing back. "The stunt doubles sat on the sidelines for the whole day but at the end of the day I was hurt. She strained my back, my neck, gave me a swollen elbow! "Then she sent a masseuse to my hotel room to take care of business." (KL/WNV/CPT)

When Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) survives a plane crash on a desert island, he must leave behind his normal everyday routine and change, both physically and mentally, in order to cope with his new surroundings...

With eyes on 21st Century America, Dracula embarks on a new campaign of misery and terror, feeding off the blood of his victims to continue his legacy…

Life is just about perfect for investment banker Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) until one snowy Christmas Eve night when he stumbles into the middle of a hold-up. In a bold display of self-preservation he disarms the gunman, Cash (Don Cheadle), only to find that normality is far from restored…

Since its first publication in 1957, Dr. Seuss' classic tale How The Grinch Stole Christmas has captivated readers young and old alike with its delightful story, endearing characters, witty humor and timeless message. For decades, Hollywood filmmakers have tried in vain to secure the motion picture rights for a live-action production of one of Dr. Seuss' books, as Theodor S. Geisel (Dr. Seuss) had repeatedly turned down their requests. Until now.

Audrey Geisel, the widow of the late Dr. Seuss, entrusted her husband's legacy to producer Brian Grazer who has mounted some of the most successful and distinguished films of the last decade, including Apollo 13 (1995), Nutty Professor, The (1996) and Liar Liar (1997). Grazer's long-time collaborator and partner at Imagine Entertainment, Ron Howard, who has brought audiences such films as Splash (1984), Willow (1988) and Cocoon (1985) clearly was the perfect choice to direct.