Date: 5th March 2002

Crowe Furious As Poem Again Misses The TV Cut


Annoyed RUSSELL CROWE threw a party so friends could finally hear his BAFTA poem broadcast on Australian television - only for it to be cut again. The astonished GLADIATOR (2000) star, who went berserk when the poem was edited out of the British TV coverage of the awards last week (24th February 2002), had been promised his Best Actor speech would be screened in full this time.

So he invited pals to hear at his farm near Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. But once again, the footage of his poem was missing from the final cut. According to British newspaper The Sun, a source says, "The party came to an abrupt halt. Russell couldn't believe the poem was axed again. He went sulky at first, then got angry. "

Crowe, 37, who won the BAFTA for his role in BEAUTIFUL MIND, a (2001), pinned TV executive Malcolm Gerrie to a wall after the poem was cut from the British Broadcasting Corprration's transmission. Malcolm says, "There were specific instructions Russell's poem would not be edited out of the Australian broadcast. " But a spokesperson for ABC television in Australia says, "I don't know if it was cut out at this end or before it left Britain, but it was not in. "

Source: WENN