People

One of the best things in Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film was Jack Nicholson as The Joker, so it is brave of Heath Ledger to take on the role. Warner Bros revealed yesterday that Ledger will play the villain in Batman: The Dark Knight, which begins production next year. Christian Bale dusts off his cape for the lead, reuniting with director Christopher Nolan. Nicholson, meanwhile, who has not been on screens for three years, will next be seen in Martin Scorsese's keenly awaited The Departed, a remake of the Hong Kong hit Internal Affairs now set in Boston and involving cops v Irish-American gangsters. Trailers for the movie, also starring Mark Wahlberg,
Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, have started circulating on the internet.

Divorce petitions now include question and answer forms. In a quickie divorce hearing in London yesterday - very quick, just 70 seconds - the form said: "If you consider that the respondent's behaviour has affected your health, state the effect it has had." The wife's answer: "Stress and anxiety." And: "Is the respondent's behaviour as set out in your petition and particulars continuing?" Answer: "Yes." The judge then granted a decree nisi between Gary Lineker and his wife, Michelle, after 20 years of marriage on the grounds of the TV presenter's "unreasonable behaviour".

Andrea Arnold's admired movie Red Road, which was warmly received at the Cannes film festival and won a five-minute standing ovation, finally has a UK release date. The film, which will be released on October 27 by Verve Pictures, tells the story of Jackie, a CCTV operator in Glasgow. The debut film is testament to Arnold's persistence. Readers of a certain age will remember her presenting the underrated Number 73, the ITV Saturday morning kids' show, alongside Sandi Toksvig, back in the 80s.

It probably is true that some Classic FM listeners do not know anything about classical music, so the station has hired Tony Robinson to educate us. He will present Tony Robinson's Friendly Guide to Music on a Sunday teatime from September 3. He promised a down-to-earth style. He said: "I get a bit unnerved by the pomposity with which some classical music stations' presenters talk to their audience." Names, Tony, names.

Jeremy Clarkson gets a vote of confidence from the BBC's complaints unit, which has posted a statement on its website to the effect that if you don't like Top Gear, don't watch it. After more than 500 complaints it acknowledges that some viewers will not appreciate the programme's sense of humour.