Plane scare spoils Paltrow's plans

Gywneth Paltrow failed to attend the Venice Film Festival when her plane developed a technical fault.

Paltrow was expected to participate in a press conference at the festival to promote her new film Proof, but these plans were scuppered when her aeroplane was directed back to New York.

She told the press via mobile phone: "[It is] absolutely, extraordinarily unpleasant. I had all kinds of plane problems ... but I was very, very sorry not to be with you. It was going to be the highlight of my summer."

Proof, which is nominated for the festival's Golden Lion prize, sees her reunite with Shakespeare In Love director John Madden and act alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jake Gyllenhaal. She plays a woman coming to terms with her father's mental deterioration.