Article: Basildon Park in £1 million face-lift (BBC Berkshire)

Basildon Park has also been used as a filming location for Marie Antoinette in 2006, starring Kirsten Dunst.

Most recently the mansion was used in A Picture Of Dorian Gray starring Colin Firth.

"Surprisingly enough we didn't have any shortage of female volunteers wanting to come in and help that day," says Basildon Park house steward Neil Shaw....more

Article: "Like it or not, I'm involved" by Colin Firth (The Guardian UK)

Italy is another relationship I can't wish away. My wife and children are Italian. I am completely in love with that country for better or worse. I was decorated by the Italian ambassador as an exhortation to promote Italy's image abroad; an easy task when it comes to food, wine, architecture, etc … but one which will be made almost impossible if Silvio Berlusconi does not improve his lamentable record on aid. For this reason Oxfam issued me with call-up papers once again. I've held the giddy title of global ambassador for Oxfam for a number of years now.

So, with an all too familiar sinking feeling, the ambassador agreed to go to Italy to try to do something to persuade the G8 leaders to deliver on their aid promises and prevent the overwhelming number of preventable deaths taking place daily on their doorstep. No problem....more

Article:" Andersson: 'Mama Mia! was surreal' by Mayer Nissim (Digital Spy)

Andersson said: "It was probably the most surreal moment of my life. Björn and I were on one side of the studio and on the other side were James Bond and Mr Darcy singing the chorus to 'Waterloo'.

"They were probably thinking: 'What am I doing here?'"....more