Referring to her blue evening gown by British designer Eavis and Brown, topped off with glittering Bulgari diamonds, Dame Helen joked: "After playing the Queen, I’m desperate not to look like the Queen. Desperate. It’s pathetic. "I just want everyone to look at me and go, ’How could she be the Queen? She doesn’t look anything like her!’ So it’s been a lot of effort."

Dame Helen was accompanied to the ceremony at the Venice Lido by her film director husband Taylor Hackford. The Queen also picked up a best scriptwriter award for Peter Morgan. His script shows the Queen struggling to understand the national outpouring of grief which greeted Diana’s death in 1997.

A newly-elected Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) is more in tune with the public mood and tries to persuade the Royals to make their grieving public. Accepting his award, Morgan quipped: "Thank you, Tony Blair, for timing your political disintegration with the release of our film."

Mirren’s Emmy-barrassment - Sept 2006
Helen Mirren might have scooped an award for her part in TV drama Elizabeth I but it was her shoes that got her noticed on Emmy night.  The classic British actress nearly tripped on her way to the stage whilst wearing plastic ’stripper’ shoes which she had bought at the last minute, having forgotten her own heels.  ’My real triumph is not going arse over tit’ she laughed on collecting the award.  Mirren has suggested that she may auction the shoes for charity.

Queen Helen - September 2006
Critics are backing Helen Mirren for next year’s Best Actrss Oscar.  The actress plays the Queen in Stephen Frears’ film of the same name which premiered at the Venice Film Festival to a standing ovation.  Helen though, is mainly concerned that the Royal family might be offended by her portrayal.

It’s not cricket! - Mar 05
Cricket’s off the screen and Helen Mirren’s on. Channel 4 has put the money it is saving from losing the rights to British and International cricket matches in to new monthly dramas and the first one is to star our favourite Docklander, Helen Mirren. The actress is to play Elizabeth I in a feature length drama due to hit our screens later this year, one of a series of big budget features from the channel.

Helen sees Red (ford) - Mar 05
Helen Mirren denies reports of Redford romance. The veteran actress has laughed off reports that she has been getting up close and personal with co star Robert Redford on the set of her latest film, The Clearing. The 59 year old said "my feelings towards Bob are much more about my admiration for him as a person and what he has achieved." She also describes Redford as being "easy going and modest" rather than acting the big icon that he is.

Queen Helen - Sept 04
Helen Mirren is poised to play the Queen in future project. Helen will take on the role of Queen Elizabeth in a film which explores the relationship between Downing Street and Buckingham Palace in the weeks surrounding Diana, Princess of Wales’ death. Director Stephen Frears confirmed Helen’s involvement at the Edinburgh Festival last month.

Helen is poll winner - August 04
Helen Mirren tops poll of most respected women.

A survey carried out by Sure deodorants asked 1,000 over 50s which woman in the limelight they most admired. It should come as now shock really that the liberated and independent Helen was top of the polls for 47% of the women. Joanna Lumley came a close second while young pop starlets like Britney Spears and Geri Halliwell floundered at the bottom of the poll.