BRITNEY SPEARS will open the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday (07Aug08) with a heartfelt message to her fans.

The news ends weeks of speculation about the pop star's role in this year's show, which will be hosted by comedian Russell Brand.

Spears has appeared alongside Brand in an ad for the telecast and gossips have suggested she'll perform and present an award with Olympic champion Michael Phelps.

Read more

TNT got the fall television season off to a roaring start with the Monday launch of its newest original series, RAISING THE BAR. A record-setting 7.7 million viewers and 5.7 million households tuned in last night to the premiere episode, making it ad-supported cable's #1 new series launch of all time, according to Nielsen Cable Fast Nationals. The series also garnered 2.8 million adults 18-49 and 3.5 million adults 25-54, making it ad-supported cable's top new series launch for the year-to-date.

"We are proud RAISING THE BAR is off to such a strong start, with a record-breaking series premiere," said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. "RAISING THE BAR is an important part of TNT's ongoing plans to take on broadcast networks by increasing our lineup of high-profile, original series. With the strength of the TNT brand and three solid, broadcast-level hits in RAISING THE BAR, THE CLOSER and SAVING GRACE, we are well on the way to achieving our goals."

Read more

Actress JENNIFER ANISTON is set to make a return to the small screen with a stint on hit TV show 30 ROCK.

The Friends star will make a guest appearance in one upcoming episode of the comedy show, which stars Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey.

A spokesperson for Aniston confirms: "She is shooting now. We are not giving out any specifics on her character."

Read more

BRITNEY SPEARS has reportedly launched a bid to return to the MTV stage for the forthcoming Video Music Awards accompanied by U.S. Olympic champion MICHAEL PHELPS.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton claims the eight-time Olympic gold medal winner is slated to appear as part of the outlandish awards show next month (Sep08).

Rumors of Spears' performance at the show were scrapped by manager Larry Rudolph earlier this week (25Aug08).

Read more

Former BEVERLY HILLS, 90210 star LUKE PERRY has denied reports he is reconsidering a return to the show's new spin-off after initially rejecting a role.

The 41-year-old actor, who played bad boy Dylan McKay in the original teen hit, passed up an offer to join his former castmates Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty in the new series in June (08).

But Perry has been rumored to be returning to the show - appearing as the father of Garth's new TV son - but he insists there is no truth to the claims.

Read more

Hollywood actress SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR's hit show BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER has been blamed for 50,000 women abandoning traditional Western religion to study paganism.

According to the recent British study published in Women and Religion in the West, young women have taken an increased interest in practicing witchcraft after Gellar's hit U.S. TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer hit the mainstream.

The study's author Dr. Kristin Aune says: "Because of its focus on female empowerment, young women are attracted by Wicca, popularised by the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In short, women are abandoning the church."

Read more