The act, performed by six doctors who dubbed themselves the ‘Jackson Jive’, aired on a reunion episode of the Hey Hey It’s Saturday variety programme in Australia on Wednesday night.

US singer Harry Connick Jr was appearing as a guest judge on the show and complained on air about the offence caused by the act.

"If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn’t have done it," he said.

"On behalf of my country I know it was done humorously, but we’ve spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons that when we see something like that we take it really to heart."

Show host Darryl Somers apologised to Connick Jr on air, but later claimed the episode had been exaggerated.

"If there were any Australians who were offended… on behalf of the show I apologise," he told Sky News. "To most Australians I think it’s a storm in a tea cup."

The doctors involved in the skit had performed the routine without controversy when they were medical students some 20 years previously.

Dr Anand Deva, a plastic surgeon based in Sydney, said the group had not meant to cause offence and admitted they would not have performed the skit in the US.

"Clearly, all of us want to apologise. I mean we have offended some people no doubt," he told a Melbourne radio station.

"So I want to say on behalf of all of us that this was really not intended… [to be] anything to do with racism at all."

Shah has been England’s leading run-scorer in one-day internationals for the past few years and scored a scintillating 98 against South Africa in the ICC Champions Trophy, but he has not been included in the 16-man touring squad for the one-day series.

Ravi Bopara has also been dropped, but opening batsman and new vice-captain in Test matches Alistair Cook makes a return to one-day international cricket after nearly a year’s hiatus.

Jonathan Trott has also been given a chance in the 50-over form of the game, having made a massive contribution on his Test debut and also impressing in county Twenty20 matches.

"Alistair Cook has shown great determination to improve his one-day game this summer, made runs at domestic level in both 50-over and T20 cricket and the selectors believe now is the right time to reintroduce him to our one-day side," said ECB National Selector Geoff Miller.

"Likewise, Jonathan Trott has made an immediate impact in our Test side and has also shown through his performances at domestic level that he has the talent and temperament to succeed in the shorter forms of the game.

"Sajid Mahmood is another player who has had a taste of international cricket before," continued Miller, "and he will be equally keen to make an impression in the one-day arena after continuing to show good form with Lancashire."

"Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah will, of course, be disappointed not to be included in either squad but they are both high-class players and will remain in the selectors’ thoughts as we go forward."

The one-day squad in full: Andrew Strauss (captain), James Anderson, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alistair Cook, Joe Denly, Sajid Mahmood, Eoin Morgan, Graham Onions, Kevin Pietersen, Matthew Prior, Adil Rashid, Graeme Swann, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright.

The England Lions player, 28, will head to Old Trafford for the start of the 2010 County Championship campaign after choosing to leave New Road at the end of last season.

And Lancs head coach Peter Moores describing the signing as "fantastic news".

"We were keen to secure his services and are delighted he shares the same vision that we have for this great club," the former England coach explained.

"Not only is he a quality cricketer but has all the attributes and characteristics we look for in a person.

"We look forward to seeing Stephen play an important role in the future success of the team."

Moore has a first-class average of more than 40 and a Twenty20 average of 25.

And he said he is keen to join Lancashire and hopes to fire the club to domestic success in all forms of the game.

"To join a club of Lancashire’s stature is a fantastic opportunity for me at this stage in my career," he explained.

"I am confident that the club will provide me with the platform to grow and develop as a player and person.

"I look forward to being a part of the club’s future development, and will strive to contribute in everyway I can to the success of the team on and off the field."

The 24-year old has recently been named Championship Player of the Year after leading his side to the league leader’s shield and victory in the Championship’s Grand Final victory over Halifax.

Ellis began his career with Hull KR and played an integral part in their National Rail Cup victory in 2005 and their promotion to the Super League a year later.

Ellis said, “I’ve had a great few years with Barrow and feel I am now ready to step up to the next level and play Super League with Harlequins.

“This will be a new chapter in my career and I’m really excited about moving to London and starting training with the coaches and players.”

After a poor finish to their Super League campaign, Harlequins coach Brian McDermott is confident Ellis will be a positive addition to his squad.

McDermott said, “Andy is a quality player and has an outstanding season at Barrow winning the Championship Grand Final and being named Player of the Year.

“We’re always in the market for quality players and Andy definitely fits into that category.”

Ellis joins Ryan Esders, Oliver Wilkes and Matt James in signing for Harlequins Rugby League for the 2010 season.

Consisting of the now traditional five Test matches, the series will start at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 25th before heading to Adelaide, Perth and Melbourne and ending at the SCG in Sydney with the New Year Test.

The match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2010 will also continue a tradition in beginning on Boxing Day and finishing on December 30th.

England, who will go down under as the holders of the famous urn after this summer’s 2-1 series win, are set to warm up by playing three first-class matches prior to the first Test and a further first-class game between the second and third Test matches.

ECB chief executive David Collier described the recent Ashes series in England as "the sporting highlight of the summer", adding that the 2010/11 series "promises to be a great contest".

"I am sure many thousands of England cricket fans will be eager to purchase tickets when they go on sale and get behind the team in Australia," he added.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said he was looking forward to another thrilling contest between world cricket’s biggest rivals.

"Australian cricket fans always love an Ashes series and demand for tickets is going to be strong, so it is important to put the dates in diaries now," he said.

"We also expect to have a lot of UK fans here again.

"I know we have only just finished an Ashes series in England but I also know that the Aussie players – and Australian cricket in general – are already thinking about the Ashes series down under which starts in just over 12 months.

"Australia has a very good Ashes record at home and I’m hopeful that will continue next summer and we can bring the Waterford Crystal urn back to Australia."

The schedule for the one-day series is yet to be announced, although fans are keen to see a return to the format used in the 2005 and 2006/07 Ashes tours when the less prestigious one-day matches took place before the Tests.

However, it seems from the dates announced the limited-overs games will again follow the five-day matches in the same format as this year’s series in England.

Full list of dates for 2010/11 Ashes series in Australia:1st Test
November 25th – 29th 2010 (Brisbane)

2nd Test
December 3rd – 7th 2010 (Adelaide)

3rd Test
December 16th – 20th 2010 (Perth)

4th Test
December 26th – 30th 2010 (Melbourne)

5th Test
January 3rd – 7th 2011 (Sydney)

The likes of John Barnes, Ian Wright and Gianfranco Zola have joined the virtual club which provides coaching and support to help football fans and players stop smoking.

As well as the advice, footballers and fans who sign up for Smokefree United will receive "motivational emails" from Ian Wright encouraging them to stop smoking, as well as the chance to win prizes such as the chance to play a game on the pitch of the team they support.

New research on behalf of the NHS Stop Smoking Service says 41 per cent of male smokers in England play football and 82 per cent of them are concerned about the effect smoking has on their performance, and therefore want to quit.

Public health minister Gillian Merron said: "Stopping smoking is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your game, your fitness and overall health.

"Quitting smoking is tough, but by joining Smokefree United you’ll get the motivation and support you need to stop for good."

With medical research showing smokers are able to extend the amount of time they can exercise only a week after quitting, Smokefree United and the Premier League are keen to highlight that quitters could show an improvement in their performance at their next game.

Former England midfielder John Barnes added: "I’d urge all football fans and players who have thought about quitting to sign for Smokefree United.

"Quitting smoking will have a huge impact on your game and you’ll immediately become more competitive because your cardiovascular fitness will improve, increasing the amount of time you’ll be able to spend on the pitch."

Eddie Murphy had previously been attached to play the groundbreaking stand-up in Bill Condon’s Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? but left the project after a conflict with Paramount Pictures, which at that point had been developing the film.

But following a successful screen-test for Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions and Sony Pictures, GI Joe actor Wayans will now step into the shoes of Pryor.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Wayans "transformed into Pryor" in his 13-minute screen-test for the role, "blowing the producers away".

Best known for his comedic roles in the likes of Scary Movie and White Chicks, 37-year-old Wayans is a graduate of the Fiorello H LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City, the school immortalised in the Fame films and television series.

Though comedy has dominated Wayans’ acting career, the New Yorker was also critically acclaimed for his role in Darren Aronofsky’s 2000 film Requiem For A Dream, meaning the dramatic rigours of telling Pryor’s life story will be well within his reach.

Currently budgeted at $20 million, Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said? is to be produced by comedian Chris Rock, Pryor’s widow Jennifer Lee Pryor and Mark Gordon, with the terms of Wayans’ contract close to being finalised.

An Emmy and Grammy award winner, Pryor died aged 65 in 2005, following a seminal comedy career in which he provided unflinching discussions of his poverty-stricken childhood, racial tensions in the US and his own drug abuse.

Adrian Morley, Ben Harrison and Chris Bridge have all agreed two-year extensions to their existing deals that will see them remain at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

And head coach Tony Smith said he is "delighted" by the news.

"We are delighted to have retained the services of these three players and maintain our good blend of players in the squad," he said.

"It is always good to retain experienced players as it gives the club some stability for the future.

"I am looking forward to continuing to work with them. As individuals they are all improving and we were more than happy to extend their contracts."

Morley is one of rugby league’s biggest names – recently captaining the Wolves to their victory at Wembley over Huddersfield and narrowly missing out on the Man of Steel award for this season to Giants star Brett Hodgson.

Harrison has been at the club since 2004 and this season played in all but two of Warrington’s games. Earlier in the year, head coach Smith paid tribute to the player for the ‘energy and heart’ in his match-day performances.

The last of the three players – Bridge – had an excellent season in 2009, establishing himself in the centres with ten tries and taking on the role of regular goal-kicker.

All three players have also recently been named in Smith’s England train-on squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.

The health bill, to be debated in Parliament next week, would require bar staff to check people’s ID before operating the vending machines with a remote control.

However, a news survey of pub landlords by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found nearly two-thirds of landlords thought it would be impossible to do during busy periods.

More than two-thirds (68 per cent) also said the proposals would be a significant extra burden on their business.

The government’s proposed legislation would effectively make staff responsible for sales to anyone underage, campaigners say.

And today’s survey found that actually three quarters of landlords would rather remove cigarette vending machines from their pubs than risk prosecution for underage sales.

According to the survey 82 per cent of landlords described the revenue they received from cigarette vending machines as "unimportant".

The British Heart Foundation has now called on the government to introduce a full ban on vending machines as the only way to protect children from smoking.

Peter Hollins, chief executive of the BHF, said: "The government’s proposals are unworkable and unrealistic. The message from the pub industry is loud and clear, they can’t make these proposals work and the loose change they make from these machines isn’t worth the hassle of keeping them.

"The only people with a real interest in vending machines are the tobacco industry.

"Every year young people start a life time’s addiction on cigarettes by buying them from a vending machine. The government needs to be braver and put the interests of children ahead of a commercial lobby."

The BHF claims last year 12 per cent of children and young people who were regular smokers usually bought their cigarettes from vending machines in England.

Mr Hollins added: "We don’t allow other age restricted products like alcohol, fireworks or knives to be sold from vending machines. These are only sold where there is a face to face transaction over the counter.

"Smoking is one of the biggest avoidable causes of death and disease in the country. Yet we continue to allow vending machines which undermine the restrictions already in place, and allow children pick up an addiction they take into adulthood."

According to findings in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention journal, due to the long-term effects of cancer treatment, childhood sufferers are less likely to wed.

Survivors are 20 to 25 per cent more likely to never marry, compared with siblings and the general population, the researchers found.

"Many childhood cancer survivors still struggle to fully participate in our society because of the lasting cognitive and physical effects of their past cancer therapy," said lead researcher Nina Kadan-Lottick, assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine.

The researchers looked at more than 10,000 childhood cancer survivors, who are now adults, treated at 26 institutions around the United States.

They then recorded their marital status, as single, divorced or married.

"Our study pinpointed what aspects of the survivor experience likely contribute to altered marriage patterns: short stature, poor physical functioning and cognitive problems," said Ms Kadan-Lottick.

"These conditions are known to be associated with certain chemotherapy and radiation exposures."

Results showed that an estimated 42 per cent of survivors were married, 7.3 per cent were separated or divorced and 46 per cent were never married.

The researchers found those who had undergone cranial radiation therapy were those most associated with not getting married.

"While it can be debated whether marriage is a desirable outcome, marriage is generally an expected developmental goal in our society to the extent that most U.S. adults are married by the age of 30. Our results suggest that survivors of childhood cancer need ongoing support even as they enter adulthood," Ms Kadan-Lottick concluded.