TOM CRUISE - CRUISE LOSES SOUTH PARK BATTLE

TOM CRUISE has lost his fight to stop an episode of SOUTH PARK mocking his Scientology beliefs being shown in the UK. The TRAPPED IN A CLOSET episode, which shows a cartoon version of Cruise being locked inside a cupboard, was shown at London's National Film Theatre on Monday (15MAY06). The show was originally taken off air by British TV network Channel 4 in January (06) amid complaints. Organisers were thrilled the actor failed in his attempts to stop the free screening, which accompanied a talk given by creators MATT STONE and TREY PARKER, insisting it was a display of free speech. A spokesman said, "If we were charging there may have been legal problems, but it was a free event, so it should be fine." After the screening, free copies of Trapped In A Closet were handed out.