London, Nov 2 : The British government is learnt to have urged the BBC to end the culture of “fat cat” pay for top presenters, else it would risk a cut in its 3.4 billion-pounds-a-year of public funding.

According to official figures, the BBC’s top 50 highest paid executives earn up to 14.3 million pounds a year between them, with 50 managers earning more than 190,000 pounds last year. Director-General Mark Thompson gets a package of 816,000 pounds per annum. 

London, Nov 2 : Pop star Lily Allen has revealed that she was left in tears after learning that Russell Brand had resigned from the BBC following the prank calls row.

Brand quit his job as a BBC radio presenter on Wednesday over a series of messages he and Jonathan Ross left on Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs’ answer phone.

On one of the messages, which were broadcast on Brand''s BBC Radio 2 programme, the comedian claimed he had slept with Sachs'' granddaughter.

The pair also joked that the actor might kill himself as a result of the comedian''s claim, reports the Daily Star.

London, November 2 : Dame Judi Dench might not be seen playing the signature boss to James Bond in the next 007 film.

The veteran actress, who has played ‘M’ in the last two Bond movies, revealed that she doubted the possibility of her being in the future movie.

“I don’t think I will be in it. I am nothing to do with it – but of course I will do it if I am asked,” the Daily Star quoted the 73-year-old as saying.

Meanwhile, James Bond star Daniel Craig had revealed that the next sequel in the 007 series might be expected to have more steamy action, with the re-introduction of Miss. Moneypenny’s role.

London, Nov 2 : Even as it’s less than two days to go for the US presidential polls, the Republicans have in their last ditch effort to score a lead over Democratic nominee Barack Obama, have approached an Oxford academic with a whipping 10,000 dollar fee to “prove” through a computer technique that Obama’s autobiography “Dreams from My Father, and Fugitive Days” was penned by a former terrorist William Ayers.

According to latest polls, Obama is ahead of his Republican rival John McCain by at least six points.

London, Nov 2 : Want to get rid of those extra pounds? Well, then all you need to do is simply write down your daily food intake, for it can double your weight loss, according to a new study.

The study, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, followed 1,700 overweight people over six months, and revealed that those who wrote down everything they ate lost an average of 13lb.

London, Nov 2 : The first child-friendly audio guide for car satnavs has been launched in the UK.

It pinpoints places of interest, tells youngsters exactly how far away it is, and offers an entertaining commentary as the driver approaches the location.

The creators of the RoadTour Child Friendly Driving Guide, dubbed the ''totnav'', are positive their recommendations will be a hit - because they took advice from their target audience.

Over the five years it took to create the device, the company surveyed children to gauge their reactions about tourist attractions.

As well as pointing to 3,000 places of interest, the totnav gives information on opening times and entrance costs.