Then there were rumours of a movie? Just imagine, that shocking well-shod squad blown up from tiny TV figures into huge silver-screen goddesses. The fans held their collective breath.

But it was not to be.

Accusations and innuendos flew, but ? whoever did ultimately put the kibosh on the project (and most now seem agreed it was Kim Cattral)? ? the fact was, that ever-lunching quartet just weren?t going to be seen in a cinema near anyone.

Now, don't worry, I'm not going to leave you in a pit of sex and city-less misery. In fact, I've got great news: you?ll be able to get at least a little fix of new 'SATC' viewing!

Yes, it's true ? there's an extra-special DVD boxed set of season six being released before the end of this year (just in time for, uh, what?s that annual marketing bonanza called again? Oh, yes? Christmas). And guess what? It?s going to include the three unused endings that HBO recorded for the series!

I imagine these alternative wrap-ups for the show were done to stop pre-screening leaks from the cast and crew. Amongst the three other options are an ending with Big giving Carrie the final heavy-ho, and one where SJP's character tells Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha that she's engaged to her older man, Aleksandr Petrovsky.

TRIXY HONORE (pronounced On-or-ay) is a lover of celeb gossip and based in Cape Town - though she prefers to live out the winter months on the Riveria. Trixy is dedicated to extracting what substance she can from the world of style, while never forgetting the vital importance of trivia, and an elegant pair of gloves, in the well-rounded life. Elvis, charming manners, nice shoes and a good haircut are on her list of life?s essentials. Got something to say about Bitch and Famous? Email her!

So, if you just want the chance to savour some never-seen-before 'SATC' moments (there are some deleted scenes and outtakes on the DVD too), or if you hated the happily-ever-after-with-Big ending and you'd like to pretend it never happened? well, you won't have much of a wait.

However, if you're a 'Friends' fan and you?re hoping for some back-from-the-dead antics here, I have to disillusion you. The chance of one of those ghastly reunion specials hasn't been explicitly ruled out by the cast, yet ? but they seem a decent lot, so I'm hoping they?ll resist the terrible temptation to do something as cheap and nasty as that.

Still, there is Matt LeBlanc?s 'Joey' spinoff, which we?ll be getting here in SA early next year.

I wouldn't get too excited though. The show isn't awful, I have to admit ? but it's really (as expected) nowhere near as good as 'Friends'. It consists mainly of rather tired stereotypes moving through even more jaded set pieces, but there definitely are the odd flashes of brilliance, which elevate it somewhat from the standard America sitcom fare.

Joey's moved to LA to take a serious shot at acting, where he lands up spending most of his time with his slutty sister and ultra-brainy nephew, while making eyes at the cute blonde neighbour whose husband's away a lot... Original stuff, eh?

There's a shining ray of genuine humour, though, in the form of Joey's agent (Jennifer Coolidge, the actress who played the delivery-man-loving beautician in 'Legally Blonde'), who's refreshingly odd.

I suppose we should just be glad that only one of the friends got their own show ? can you imagine a whole week?s worth of single-character spinoffs? Shudder.

Jen Aniston has steered clear of the small screens since the series ended, but she?s been hard at work with movie projects. She's busy filming 'Rumour Has It' (billed as a comedy/drama) and is already lined up to star in another three flicks ? go Jen!

So, work it is at the moment for her ? there's still no sign of kiddies, for all those bump-watchers!

Aniston and Pitt are rumoured to be buying another residence, though ? and they're following in the illustrious footsteps of Madge and Gwyneth Paltrow by house-hunting in London. Actually, word has it that they're also copying Paltrow?s buying-from-another-celeb gambit, as they may be taking over chum Jamie Oliver's place.

The superstar chef, his wife Jules and the Aniston-Pitts are reportedly great chums and, provided there's no undisclosed rising damp in the place, I'm sure they'll stay that way. Jamie and family are said to be upping sticks and moving to the country for a bit of peace.

Peace... hmmm, that's something the whole world could do with a bit more of, but it doesn't appear we'll be getting our wish any time soon. Despite the best efforts of Hollywood's finest, fear and ignorance came up trumps in the US presidential race. Looks like those decidedly D-list entertainers (the Gatlin Brothers and Michael W. Smith, anyone?) campaigning with Bush didn't do him any harm!

I can't say I'm exactly on top of the world just now ? but I'm certainly not the only one feeling angry... Ben Affleck and the great British actor Peter O'Toole have also been having a good vent recently. The object of their cutting comments? In both cases, it?s not Bush, but a director of one of their recent films.

Ben's thoughts on Kevin Smith went like this: ?It wasn't enough that I went to Vegas to play in his lame charity poker tournament for the DVD launch of ?Jersey Girl?, but I also had to go out to his fucking store, where all he's doing is selling more T-shirts of him and his jackass friend, and he's roped in an entire generation of kids into thinking it's worth spending $30 (R185) on and $50 (over R300) if he signs it.?

?I mean the whole thing is a complete travesty and he wanted me to participate in it and I won't do that.?

Ben spilled the beans to The Scoop during an interview originally aimed at promoting his new flick ?Surviving Christmas?. Remember I told you last week that he seemed to be getting really sick of that press junket? Well, it seems he was madder than we thought!

Sure, anyone in their right mind would get heartily sick of sitting there and answering the same dull questions over and over for days. But laying into the director of your last film? It?s not the best way to secure your next multi-million dollar pay cheque. Studios tend to prefer stars who play the Hollywood game.

Now Peter O?Toole has little excuse, since he?s been an actor for decades. You?d think he?d have learnt just a touch of diplomacy along the way.

Happily for the fans of forthrightness, he?s done no such thing.

?Ugh, what a disaster. The director, that Kraut, what a clown he was,? said O?Toole, resorting to a pretty inexcusable ethnic slur as he outlined his feelings on his latest movie ?Troy? and its director Wolfgang Petersen. Perhaps someone could helpfully remind the veteran actor that World War II ended quite a while ago.

?When it was all over, I watched 15 minutes of the finished movie and then walked out. At least I had one good scene.? Ah, there?s grace for you.

But here?s an actor with a clear mind? or, um, perhaps not. John Stamos, who recently split with ?Femme Fatale? Rebecca Romijn, has found new love ? if not any acting work as high profile as his old ?Full House? gig.

Well, to be fair, John does have a new TV series (no name available yet), in which he plays a New York City publicist. In fact, that?s where he met his new girlfriend; George Clooney?s ex, Krista Allen. And even if this show doesn?t prove as popular as the series that launched his and the Olsen twin?s career (or at least their parents? ambitions), it couldn?t possibly be any worse.

(I still wonder what exactly induced me to sit through the dozens of episodes I did. Horrible fascination? Sheer inertia?)

Krista apparently got sick of Clooney?s hopeless and self-proclaimed permanent bachelordom, but she?s not likely to have the same problem with Stamos. Sure, his marriage to Rebecca foundered, but he hasn?t been put off the institution itself.

?I'm making a prediction,? said Stamos recently. ?I will be married within the next year-and-a-half to two years.? Uh, shouldn?t you actually have the divorce from your last marriage come through before you get cracking on the next one? Just a thought.

No marriage troubles at all for Britney, so far. (In fact, she?s said to be in the family way already! More news of that for my weekly email subscribers?) But while her relationship seems to be going strong, she has been having a little trouble with the makers of the latest ?Child?s Play? instalment!

They asked if they could use her 'Baby One More Time' track in a scene where two of the dolls 'have it off', so to speak. Britney hasn't quite left her clean-living roots that far behind, though; she said no. Now, to her horror (no pun intended), there?s a shot in the trailer of the murderous Chucky terrorising a Britney clone.

Brit's people have jumped on the film's makers, and now the previews have a line announcing that Britney most definitely does not appear in the movie!

While Britters clearly isn't a Bride of Chucky, she wants more than anything to declare to the world that she is the bride of Kevin Federline. But, she faces an unusual dilemma. Unlike the many women who feel pressurised to lose their own surname and take on their husband's, Spears has got the opposite problem.

She'd really like to be take Kev's name, but she's worried fans would object. "Britney Federline, I like that. Society probably won't allow me, but I would like to change it."

Generally, I?m against jettisoning your name ? but, really, it should never be society?s decision, just yours. So go for it Britney, call yourself Federline!

Next week, more stars doing whatever they want, in Bitch and Famous!