Legendary TV host Johnny Carson died Sunday morning in his Malibu home after a three-year battle with respiratory disease emphysema. He was 79. Carson shot to fame in 1962 when he replaced Jack Paar as the host of NBC's Tonight Show, which he left in May 1992 after three decades as one of America's best-loved presenters and four consecutive Emmy Awards. The Nebraska native made his first TV appearance when he was just 14-years-old, as a magician on The Great Carsoni, and returned to the small screen with comedy show Carson's Cellar after Navy service in World War II. He went on to host numerous TV quizzes and variety shows, most notably The Johnny Carson Show, before hosting daytime game show Who Do You Trust, where he was joined by Ed McMahon, who became his Tonight Show sidekick. Carson's nephew, Jeff Sotzing says, "Mr. Carson passed away peacefully early Sunday morning. He was surrounded by his family, whose loss will be immeasurable. There will be no memorial service." Carson leaves behind his fourth wife Alexis Mass and two sons. Read IMDb.com's obituary for Johnny Carson

French film star Audrey Tautou is thrilled she's won the lead role in the upcoming film adaptation of US author Dan Brown's best-selling thriller The Da Vinci Code. The popular Amelie star, who is currently on screens in A Very Long Engagement, will play Sophie Neveu - the young French cryptologist assisting Professor Robert Langdon - played by Tom Hanks - in his investigation. The Professional actor Jean Reno will also star, playing detective Bezu Fache. Filming is due to start later this year - with a predicted cinema release of May 2006.

The stars of hit American sitcom Desperate Housewives have reportedly threatened a revolt over their small salaries. Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria and Nicolette Sheridan are all demanding bigger paychecks to cash in on the worldwide success of the ABC series that won two Golden Globe Awards last week, reports Britain's Daily Star Sunday newspaper. More than 40 countries have snapped up the dark comedy and it is currently number one in the US ratings, regularly pulling in more than 30 million viewers. An insider at Touchstone Television says, "The girls are fuming. Their salaries range from $47,000 to $76,000 an episode - which is peanuts compared to the cash coming in from selling it around the world. It's crazy when you compare it with the $1.8 million-a-show the stars of Friends were making. No one's suggesting they're worth that much. But they do deserve a slice of the big bucks they're generating." In an interview with America's People magazine last month, Sheridan complained, "I'm the poorest actress on television. I heard (the cast of) Friends got cars when they had such amazing ratings. But I got flowers. I'm still waiting for the Porsche."

A retired policeman says actor Robert Blake asked him for advice on how to kidnap or kill his wife on several occasions, a Los Angeles court heard yesterday. Former homicide detective William Welch said Blake wanted to know the best way to murder his wife of six months, Bonnie Lee Bakley. Welch said Blake, who first contacted him in 1999, was angry Bakley had become pregnant although he later decided to raise their baby daughter. Welch told the murder trial, "He told me he met a girl at a jazz club, they had a one-night stand and she got pregnant." The ex-policeman, who retired in 1985, said he recommended Blake offer Bakley some money to get out of his life but that Blake said he'd already tried that. Welch said Blake then said, "I've thought about it. We'll hire a doctor to (perform an abortion) and if that doesn't work, we're going to whack her." Welch said he advised Blake not to hurt Bakley, but did suggest he could have her arrested for violating her parole. Bakley was under house arrest at the time following a credit card conviction. Blake stands accused of killing his wife outside Vitello's restaurant in Studio City, Los Angeles, in 2001.

Bosses at TV network E! Entertainment have been forced to apologize for callous remarks comedienne Kathy Griffin made about child star Dakota Fanning on the red carpet at last Sunday's Golden Globe Awards. Outrageous Griffin upset American TV viewers when she joked about the 10-year-old I Am Sam star checking into rehab "for drugs and alcohol" during the pre-ceremony program. E! chiefs decided it was best to apologize after they were flooded with complaints. In a statement, they said, "This insensitive comment was not true and it was spoken in jest."

A children's video starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney and a host of other cartoon favorites has been slapped with a gay alert warning by Christian Conservative groups. The music video, due to be sent to 61,000 schools across America in March, was made by the nonprofit We Are Family Foundation to encourage tolerance and diversity. But Christian activist groups the American Family Association and Focus On The Family say the innocent cartoon characters are being exploited to promote the acceptance of homosexuality. The video is a remake of the 1979 hit song "We Are Family," featuring SpongeBob, Barney, Winnie The Pooh, Bob The Builder, the Rugrats and 100 TV cartoon stars. It was made by a foundation set up by songwriter Nile Rodgers to promote America's healing process after the September 11 attacks. Christian groups, however, have taken exception to the tolerance pledge on the foundation's website, which asks people to respect the sexual identity of others along with their abilities, beliefs, culture and race. Rodgers hits back, "That is so myopic and harsh. You have really got to look hard to find anything in this that is offensive to anyone. The last thing I am going to do is taint these characters."

Hollywood actor Christian Slater has agreed to a trial separation from wife Ryan Haddon - because Haddon refuses to live in England with her husband. The True Romance star met Haddon in 1998 and they married two years later, after he'd convinced her he would never return to the drink and drugs that almost ruined his career. But the couple have been bitterly feuding since last summer, when they moved to London so that Slater could appear in the West End's hit play One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, reports British newspaper The Sun. Slater allegedly wants to continue living in Britain to pursue his stage career, while Haddon is desperate to return to America with their two children. Slater's spokesman says, "They are having a trial separation." A close friend adds, "Chistian loves England but Ryan never really felt at home. They are both very sad."

Donald Trump is bemused by reports his two ex-wives have snubbed his wedding to Melania Knauss - because he never invited them in the first place. Earlier this month, reports emerged that property tycoon Trump, who took his third trip down the aisle on Saturday, had invited Ivana Trump and Marla Maples to his Florida nuptials, only to be rebuffed by both women. But Apprentice star Trump insists nothing could be further from the truth. He says, "There's many stories that I invited my ex-wives Marla and Ivana... They said, 'Yes, he invited us, but we happened to be busy, ' which I thought was very elegant. I'm sure they were waiting (for invitations). Who would invite an ex-wife? I've never heard of it, although I guess I'm sure it's happened. They're terrific but they weren't invited."

Rap mogul Sean 'P Diddy' Combs is in negotiations to buy four of British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary theatres in London's West End. Lord Lloyd Webber - the creator of musical blockbusters The Phantom Of The Opera, Starlight Express, Cats and Evita - is selling the Apollo, the Garrick, the Duchess and the Lyric, all major names in the capital's theatre district. And hip-hop star, Combs is obsessed with the stage - following his Broadway debut last year in Raisin In The Sun - so is keen to expand his Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment business empire by adding the theatre to his $285 million clothing brand, two restaurants, music publishing and product marketing. Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group has confirmed it has received one firm bid for the four playhouse theatres.

Super Size Me director Morgan Spurlock has got engaged to his girlfriend Alexandra Jamieson, after proposing to her in Mexico. Spurlock popped the question while they were hiking through a butterfly sanctuary, writes website Pagesix.Com. The film-maker shot to fame last year in Super Size Me, in which he guzzled McDonald's fast food for a month and had to deal with a resulting string of health problems. Vegan chef Jamieson helped Spurlock lose his excess weight.