Gibson dropped from Hangover two

22 October 2010 Last updated at 03:29 ET

Mel Gibson has missed out on a cameo role in the sequel to the hit comedy The Hangover after objections from cast and crew, its director has said.

Todd Phillips said in a statement that he planned to cast him as a tattoo artist but did not have "the full support of my entire cast and crew".

Phillips said he and studio Warner Bros thought "Mel would have been great".

The decision follows the release of recordings of Gibson, 54, apparently threatening his ex-girlfriend.

"I realize film-making is a collaborative effort and this decision ultimately did not have the full support of my entire cast and crew," Phillips said.

A representative for Gibson made no comment.

Extortion allegation

The original Hangover film, about a stag party that goes awry in Las Vegas, took more than $467m (�297m) globally.

The sequel, due out next year, will reunite Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Justin Bartha.

Los Angeles police are investigating Gibson on suspicion of domestic abuse against ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, the mother of his one-year-old daughter.

Ms Grigorieva, meanwhile, is being investigated over claims that she tried to extort money from Gibson.

Neither have been charged.

On Thursday, a judge ruled that detectives could have unlimited access to Ms Grigorieva's computer.

She had sought a ruling to limit access to her machine.

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Firth welcomes ratings decision

22 October 2010 Last updated at 04:33 ET

Colin Firth has welcomed the British Board of Film Classification's decision to lower the rating of his new film The King's Speech from 15 to 12A.

"It's wonderful news," said the actor at the film's London premiere. "They did the right thing."

The film's UK distributors had launched an appeal after the BBFC rated it 15 for its use of strong language.

Tom Hooper's film shows King George VI being encouraged by a speech therapist to swear to overcome a stammer.

The BBFC said it had "applied its formal reconsideration process" and decided the language was not aggressive or directed at any person.

The film has been reclassified as 12A with the consumer advice that it "contains strong language in a speech therapy context".

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

It's a triumph for the fact you have to make a decision in context"

End Quote Tom Hooper Director, The King's Speech

Had The King's Speech been released with a 15 certificate, no-one under that age would have been allowed to see it.

Now, however, no-one beneath the age of 12 can see the film - out in the UK on 7 January - unless accompanied by an adult.

Speaking on Thursday night, Hooper said he was "elated" by the BBFC's move, which he called "a triumph for the fact you have to make a decision in context".

"I'm incredibly thrilled and incredibly grateful and I hope it means more people will go and see the film," he continued.

The director had earlier attacked the original ruling at a press conference for the film, saying "my head is in my hands about it".

Firth had also expressed dismay over the 15 rating, which was originally passed on 15 October.

"It would be very interesting actually for somebody to do a study as to who the people are that would complain about that stuff (bad language), before they would complain about the violence," he told reporters on Thursday morning.

It was subsequently reported that the BBFC had reclassified The King's Speech following the comments.

But the BBFC said the rating was changed before the press conference took place and that it had informed the film company of its decision on Thursday morning.

Actor Geoffrey Rush, who plays the monarch's unconventional therapist, said the swear words were "not [used] in any abusive or hurtful context."

The BBFC's language guidelines for a 12A release say that the use of strong language must be infrequent.

Helena Bonham Carter and Timothy Spall were among other cast members to attend the film's premiere, held in London's Leicester Square.

Bonham Carter plays Firth's wife - the future Queen Mother - in The King's Speech, part of whose funding came from the recently axed UK Film Council.

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Sopel breaks hip in scooter crash

21 October 2010 Last updated at 15:09 ET

Newsreader Jon Sopel has broken his hip in a crash on his motor scooter on his way to Westminster to front the BBC's Spending Review coverage.

The 51-year-old's scooter skidded on wet leaves and he fell on to the road on Wednesday morning.

Passers-by offered Sopel help but he thought his injury was not serious and continued his journey to Westminster.

It was only when the pain became unbearable that he headed for a central London hospital, he said.

"I thought I had just given myself a dead leg at first and that the pain would ease - but it didn't; it became unbearable."

In a statement the BBC said: "He was desperate to be part of such an important day in the political calendar, but instead went into surgery just as prime minister's questions were starting and came round after George Osborne had sat down.

"The operation was successful and Jon is now recovering in hospital.

"He has been told he will probably need several weeks to recuperate before returning to work."

Sopel presents the Politics Show on BBC One and presents on the BBC News Channel.

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