Phantom comes to London

The stars were out en-masse last night for the UK premiere of the silver-screen version of the hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera.

16:54 07 December 2004

The stars were out en-masse last night, littering the red carpet in London's Leicester Square for the UK premiere of the silver-screen version of the hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera.

Jennifer Ellison, the former Brookside starlet who makes her first big screen debut in the epic tale of love and passion, was on hand to wow the crowds, as was co-star Minnie Driver who plays a Maria Callas-esque operatic diva.

"This has been a long time in the making and turned out as I've always wanted," creator Andrew Lloyd Webber told the press.

Minnie Driver, star of several mainstream Hollywood hits including Good Will Hunting, was also on hand to talk, sporting an elegant black lace dress by Dolce & Gabbana.

She said she enjoyed being a diva but added: "I was so knackered by carrying around a 50lb dress and 30lb wig during filming that I just collapsed in bed every night."

The film will go on general release across the UK this weekend.