Ghost actress Whoopi Goldberg has been confirmed as the new co-host of popular U.S. magazine show The View. The comedienne/actress-turned-radio presenter has been hired to replace outspoken Rosie O'Donnell on the morning show, where a panel of women discuss the latest topics and interview celebrities. Academy Award winner Goldberg has made a series of guest appearances on the show during its 10 year run, and producers insist she was always a top choice. O'Donnell quit the show at the beginning of the summer following a series of fights with co-hosts and producers.

Spice Girl star Melanie Brown has confirmed she plans to take her ex-boyfriend Eddie Murphy to court to claim child support payments and "to decide what is reasonable." The singer was "appalled and shocked" when Murphy announced their break-up on a Dutch TV show last year and denied fathering her then-unborn child. Brown received paternity test results in June proving the Dreamgirls actor is the father of four-month-old baby Angel Iris. Her lawyer Gloria Allred claims Murphy "has not paid one penny of child support" and that a paternity case has been filed against him. Allred says, "We've had communication with his attorney, and now we're moving forward. Mr. Murphy was promising to do the right thing but to date he has not done the right thing. Mr. Murphy can have all the babies he chooses to have, but his responsibility needs to be to his own children. (Brown) is seeking sole physical and legal custody." British Brown adds, "I want (Angel) to know that she has two parents." The news comes just days after Murphy confirmed reports he has become engaged to girlfriend Tracey Edmonds, who he began dating after splitting with The Spice Girls star last year.

Troubled pop star Britney Spears threw a baby bottle and threatened to kill two photographers after they took pictures of her leaving a Las Vegas spa, it has been alleged. The hitmaker has been accused of threatening to kill Andrew Deetz, who has now instructed his lawyers to sue the star for compensation. In a lawsuit filed in Las Vegas, Deetz claims he and his colleague Kyle Henderson were attacked by Spears' bodyguard Julio "JC" Camera as they attempted to take photos of the singer and her children Sean Preston and Jayden James on Thursday. In a statement read by Daniel Kogan, a spokesman for Deetz's lawyers, Spears ran towards Henderson and threw a bottle at him before being stopped by security. Deetz also alleges Spears recommended he get a restraining order against her because she was either going to kill him herself or hire a hitman to do the job for her. Las Vegas police issued a summons for a charge of battery to Camera on Friday. He could face up to six months in county jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted. Spears' lawyer Gary Stiffelman declined to comment.

Uma Thurman has found love again in the arms of supermodel Elle Macpherson's ex. American magazine Us Weekly has published photos of the Kill Bill star kissing Swiss banker Arpad 'Arki' Busson and speculates they've been dating for a month, after hooking up at the 45th anniversary parties in Rome for designer Valentino. A source tells the New York Post's Page Six column, "With their arms wrapped around each other, the couple seemed oblivious to everyone around them." Thurman has been single since splitting from hotelier Andre Balazs in March. Busson and Macpherson parted ways in 2005, after having two children together.

Nicole Richie has called her upcoming jail sentence "a blessing in disguise" because the pregnant socialite/actress accepts she could have killed someone. Richie was sentenced to four days in jail after pleading guilty to driving under the influence last month, and she has until September 28 to physically serve her time. But the 25-year-old isn't grumbling about her sentence, insisting the authorities were right to arrest her for driving her Mercedez Benz the wrong way down California State Route 134 highway in Burbank, California in December. After failing an on-field sobriety test, Richie admitted to having smoked marijuana and taking a Vicodin painkiller. And she accepts Superior Court Commissioner Steven K. Lubell's warning that she could have been charged with manslaughter. She tells the new issue of OK! magazine, "I could have killed someone... I think this was a blessing in disguise." The pregnant The Simple Life star adds, "This year has been full of lessons learned and soul-searching and realizing I'm an adult. It's time to take responsibility and not take the easy way out." She goes on to say that she is "definitely" over her addictions and that if she could take the night of her arrest back, she would: "I never want to make a mistake like that again. I never want to possibly take another life in my hands... My life is clearly going to slow down."

Actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon have reportedly rekindled their romance following a series of top secret dates. The couple, who met on the set of upcoming movie Rendition, never confirmed a relationship and went their separate ways in June, but have now got back together again. In the last few days Gyllenhaal and Witherspoon have been photographed enjoying each other's company on numerous occasions. Their brief separation reportedly came about when Witherspoon, who separated from husband Ryan Phillippe last year, wanted to spend more time with her two children. But a source tells American magazine Us Weekly, "Reese came to terms with the fact that she can have a relationship and spend time with her kids."

Anne Heche has publicly thanked the cast and crew of her TV series Men In Trees for helping her cope during her recent marriage split. The actress split from husband Coley Laffoon last year and is now dating co-star James Tupper, and she admits she wouldn't have been able to get through a difficult few months had it not been for her TV "family." She explains, "One of the things that has been so great to me this year is finding a family and finding that there are other people around you who help support and love you through difficult times and don't judge you and allow you to make mistakes. This cast of people and this crew of people on Men In Trees have developed such a loving family supportive group that I've learned to trust a family that was so necessary in my life."

Emma Thompson is desperate to land a role in U.S. series House alongside her ex-boyfriend Hugh Laurie. Thompson, who is married to fellow British star Greg Wise, dated Laurie in the early 1980s and the pair remain close pals. And the actor is keen to have his former love appear in his hit TV series. He says, "She (Thompson) genuinely does watch it. It obviously goes out in a different season in the U.K. but she does follow the show and likes it very much and would love to be on it." But Laurie insists he won't use his celebrity status to command cameo appearances from his wide circle of celebrity pals. He adds, "Obviously I would never feel I was in a position to treat this as some sort of club, where I can have... 'Oh, just mention my name. They'll let you in.'"

Veteran actor Jon Voight has again denied media reports he's made amends with his estranged daughter Angelina Jolie, after the actress cut him out of her life for implying she was unbalanced. The Coming Home star infamously claimed Jolie was suffering from "severe emotional problems" during a tearful U.S. TV interview in 2002. The pair haven't spoken since. And despite speculation father and daughter are in contact again, Voight, who has yet to meet his four grandchildren, insists no such breakthrough has taken place. He says, "There's been talk about that, but we haven't been in touch yet. I certainly send her all my love, and I always wish the best for her and the kids. I haven't seen them (the kids) yet."

Madonna and Justin Timberlake's long-waited collaboration has been leaked on the internet. The track, called "Candy Shop," appeared on putfile.com, but was removed following copyright issues. It is believed the song - a mix of dance, pop and hip-hop - will appear on Madonna's forthcoming album, scheduled to be released in November. The track is just one of several the pop star has worked on with Timberlake and producer Timbaland. Pharrell Williams and Mika have also been involved in the album.