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A statue of plasticine film stars Wallace and Gromit is to be unveiled in their creator Nick Park’s home town of Preston.

They will be depicted as they appeared in 1993 film The Wrong Trousers, alongside a bronze bench.

The bench has been designed by Park and local sculptor Peter Hodgkinson, and is being made at the Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Wales.

Wallace And Gromit received critical acclaim around the world
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Wallace And Gromit have received critical acclaim around the world

It is hoped it will be installed in August.

The sculptures of the comedy duo, whose films also include A Grand Day Out and A Close Shave, are being funded by money Preston received from the government’s national towns fund initiative.

The idea of the fund is to encourage people back into town and city centres following the coronavirus pandemic.

Park said: “It is such a great honour for me, as a proud Prestonian, to see my characters Wallace and Gromit cast in bronze and given pride of place in my home town.”

Peter Sallis in the recording studio for a Wallace And Gromit TV special
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The late actor Peter Sallis was the voice of Wallace

John Chesworth, chair of the Preston Partnership and the Preston Towns Fund Board, said: “Nick is one of our most famous living Prestonians and it’s great that we can celebrate his achievements with this new sculpture.

“Wallace and Gromit are familiar to millions and the films are hugely popular with all age groups.

“We very much look forward to welcoming the duo to Preston and to inviting people to come into the city centre to visit them.”

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Sally Rooney tells court new books may not be published in UK due to Palestine Action ban

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Sally Rooney tells court new books may not be published in UK due to Palestine Action ban

Irish author Sally Rooney has told the High Court she may not be able to publish new books in the UK, and may have to withdraw previous titles from sale, because of the ban on Palestine Action.

The group’s co-founder Huda Ammori is taking legal action against the Home Office over the decision to proscribe Palestine Action under anti-terror laws in July.

The ban made being a member of, or supporting, Palestine Action a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Rooney was in August warned that she risked committing a terrorist offence after saying she would donate earnings from her books, and the TV adaptations of Normal People and Conversations With Friends, to support Palestine Action.

In a witness statement made public on Thursday, Rooney said the producer of the BBC dramas said they had been advised that they could not send money to her agent if the funds could be used to fund the group, as that would be a crime under anti-terror laws.

Rooney added that it was “unclear” whether any UK company can pay her, stating that if she is prevented from profiting from her work, her income would be “enormously restricted”.

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She added: “If I were to write another screenplay, television show or similar creative work, I would not be able to have it produced or distributed by a company based in England and Wales without, expressly or tacitly, accepting that I would not be paid.”

Rooney described how the publication of her books is based on royalties on sales, and that non-payment of royalties would mean she can terminate her contract.

“If, therefore, Faber and Faber Limited are legally prohibited from paying me the royalties I am owed, my existing works may have to be withdrawn from sale and would therefore no longer be available to readers in the UK,” Rooney added, saying this would be “a truly extreme incursion by the state into the realm of artistic expression”.

Rooney added that it is “almost certain” that she cannot publish or produce new work in the UK while the Palestine Action ban remains in force.

She said: “If Palestine Action is still proscribed by the time my next book is due for publication, then that book will be available to readers all over the world and in dozens of languages, but will be unavailable to readers in the United Kingdom simply because no one will be permitted to publish it, unless I am content to give it away for free.”

Sir James Eadie KC, barrister for the Home Office, said in a written submission that the ban’s aim is “stifling organisations concerned in terrorism and for members of the public to face criminal liability for joining or supporting such organisations”.

“That serves to ensure proscribed organisations are deprived of the oxygen of publicity as well as both vocal and financial support,” he continued.

The High Court hearing is due to conclude on 2 December, with a decision expected in writing at a later date.

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Creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood addresses claims she’ll ‘steal jobs’ from real stars

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Creator of AI actress Tilly Norwood addresses claims she'll 'steal jobs' from real stars

The creator of an AI actress has told Sky News that synthetic performers will get more actors working, rather than steal jobs.

AI production studio Particle6 has ruffled feathers in Hollywood by unveiling Tilly Norwood – a 20-something actress created by artificial intelligence.

Speaking to Sky News’ Dominic Waghorn, actor and comedian Eline Van der Velden – who founded Particle6 – insisted Norwood is “not meant to take jobs in the traditional film”.

AI entertainment is “developing as a completely separate genre”, she said, adding: “And that’s where Tilly is meant to stay. She’s meant to stay in the AI genre and be a star in that.”

“I don’t want her to take real actors’ jobs,” she continued. “I wanted to have her own creative path.”

Norwood has been labelled “really, really scary” by Mary Poppins Returns star Emily Blunt, while the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA said in a statement: “Tilly Norwood is not an actor, it’s a character generated by a computer program that was trained on the work of countless professional performers – without permission or compensation.”

Responding to the criticism, Ms Van der Velden argued that Hollywood is “going to have to learn how to work with [AI] going forward”.

“We can’t stop it,” she said. “If we put our head in the sand, then our jobs will be gone. However, instead, if we learn how to use these tools, if we use it going forward, especially in Britain, we can be that creative powerhouse.”

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Ms Van der Velden said her studio has already helped a number of projects that were struggling due to budget constraints.

“Some productions get stuck, not able to find the last 30% of their budget, and so they don’t go into production,” she said. “Now with AI, by replacing some of the shots […] we can actually get that production going and working. So as a result, we get more jobs, we get more actors working, so that’s all really, really positive news.”

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Prince William tells John Cleese his kids have just discovered Fawlty Towers

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Prince William tells John Cleese his kids have just discovered Fawlty Towers

Prince William wasn’t close to being born when Fawlty Towers first aired – but now even his children have fallen in love with it.

The Prince of Wales, 43, revealed his kids’ love of the classic British sitcom – which first aired in 1975 – during a conversation with star John Cleese.

The pair shared a few words at the Tusk Conservation Awards at London’s Savoy Hotel on Wednesday night, which honoured those safeguarding the habitats and animals of Africa.

William told Cleese they were having “a lot of family laughs” watching the show, and his children “love it”.

The Prince of Wales and John Cleese were among those attending the Tusk Conservation Awards. Pics: PA
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The Prince of Wales and John Cleese were among those attending the Tusk Conservation Awards. Pics: PA

The future king said he has also been “reminiscing” on the series and enjoying it “all over again”.

“It’s brilliant,” he added.

After their chat, Cleese said of Fawlty Towers: “I always explain it’s about ‘who’s scared of who’ and kids pick that up immediately. And mine, all those years ago, grew up watching it.”

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The veteran comic actor – an ambassador of the trust – was joined by his wife Jennifer Wade, and fellow ambassador Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stones guitarist.

Other guests were Zara Tindall and husband Mike, and William’s cousins Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer.

Winners included Laban Mwangi, a head ranger working in Kenya; Rahima Njaidi, who has established a Tanzanian community-led forest conservation network; and Kumara Wakjira, who was honoured for his work in Ethiopia.

William said they “should inspire us to drive change”.

He added: “If we all want to continue to enjoy and benefit from the wonders of the natural world we must not be the generation that stands by as wildlife and biodiversity disappears.

“What we choose to do will have an impact on future generations, and tonight we must choose to do more.”

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