CLIVE OWEN - OWEN REFUSES TO LEAVE LONDON

British actor CLIVE OWEN refuses to move to Los Angeles for one simple reason - he couldn't part with his favourite London pub.

The screen star, who is hotly tipped to take home the Best Supporting Actor OSCAR tonight (27FEB05) for his performance in CLOSER, praises Londoners for allowing him to enjoy an anonymous lifestyle - particularly while he's downing a few beers at his local drinking hole.

And Owen admits the prospect of moving into the celebrity-obsessed environment of Hollywood strikes horror into him.

The 40-year-old says, "London is my home.

"I love it there because I can always drop by my favourite pub and no one pays any bother to me."