Bookseller to move Harry Potter launch

London – A British bookseller said Wednesday that it would move a launch party planned for the sixth Harry Potter book away from a central London train station that was involved in last week’s terrorist bombings.

Bookseller WH Smith held a launch party for the fifth Harry Potter book at central London’s King’s Cross station – which features in the books as the home of Platform 9 3/4 from which Harry and other young wizards take a train to the Hogwarts School. The store had planned to host a similar party Friday for the launch of “Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince.”

King’s Cross station was the site of the worst subway attack last week. Twenty-one people died on the London Underground Piccadilly line as it passed between King’s Cross and Russell Square stations on Thursday morning.

“In light of the attacks in London last Thursday and the fact that it (King’s Cross station) is an ongoing crime scene, we felt it was insensitive and inappropriate to continue with the launch event there,” WH Smith spokeswoman Sarah Hodson said.

Hodson said the event, which attracted 500 people last year, would be held at another store in southwest London. The King’s Cross store will still open late Friday evening and into early Saturday morning to allow fans to purchase a copy of the book, she said.

Queen dedicates show to emergency workers

London – Rock group Queen said it will invite thousands of emergency services workers to an open-air concert in Hyde Park that was postponed by a week because of the London terrorist attacks.

Queen’s Paul Rodgers said the group wants Friday’s concert to be a tribute to the “extraordinary response” of the police officers, firefighters and paramedics who helped the victims of last Thursday’s subway and bus bombings.

“We feel it is fitting to thank London’s emergency services for their extraordinary response in dealing with the effects of the bombing attacks and to celebrate the historical resilience of Londoners in their response to yet another atrocity,” Rodgers said in a statement.

Guitarist Brian May said the band was “unbelievably shocked and saddened” to see London under siege after it returned Thursday morning from a concert in Germany.

“The heroes that day, and since then, are the police and emergency services coming together as one, calmly and bravely dealing with the tragedy and getting London’s wheels turning again,” he said. “We’d like to offer an appreciation.”

Duff, Schneider to host Teen Choice Awards

New York – Hilary Duff and Rob Schneider will co-host the 2005 Teen Choice Awards on Fox television.

“The Perfect Man” leading lady and “The Hot Chick” leading man will hand out awards such as Choice Liplock, Choice Movie Chemistry and Choice Male Hottie during the Los Angeles ceremony Aug. 16.

Gwen Stefani will kick off the show with a performance of “Hollaback Girl.” She will be honored with the Teen Choice Visionary Award, Fox announced Tuesday.

Duff won Choice Movie Breakout Performance in 2003 for her role in “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” She recently starred in the films “Raise Your Voice” and “A Cinderella Story.” Her third pop album, “Most Wanted,” will debut next month.

Schneider starred as “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo,” a role he’ll reprise in the upcoming sequel, “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo.” The “Saturday Night Live” veteran was most recently seen on the big screen in “The Longest Yard.”

Lansbury set for surgery

Los Angeles – Angela Lansbury, who kicked up her heels in the Broadway musicals “Mame” and “Gypsy,” was scheduled to have knee replacement surgery today.

“Her knee is so painful from years of dancing,” her daughter, Deirdre Battarra, said Tuesday. Lansbury is the winner of four Tony Awards, for her performances in “Mame,” “Gypsy,” “Dear World” and “Sweeney Todd.”

The 79-year-old actress starred as crime novelist Jessica Fletcher in the long-running TV series “Murder, She Wrote.”

Lansbury tripped on an electrical cord Friday night while joining other celebrities onstage for Stephen Sondheim’s 75th-birthday concert at the Hollywood Bowl. The slip had nothing to do with her plans for surgery, Battarra said.

“She’s pretty at ease about it all,” said Battarra. Recovery is expected to take one or two months.

Lansbury’s screen credits include “The Manchurian Candidate,” “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and “Gaslight.”

Brad Pitt diagnosed with meningitis

Actor Brad Pitt has been diagnosed with a mild case of viral meningitis but was released from the hospital, his publicist said.

Pitt, 41, checked himself into Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Monday night complaining of flu-like symptoms. He went home Wednesday afternoon, publicist Cindy Guagenti said.

“The actor is at home and doing well,” she said in a statement.

Most patients recover from viral meningitis in a week. Severe illness and death is uncommon.

Pitt was in Ethiopia last week with his “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” co-star Angelina Jolie to pick up the actress’ newly adopted baby girl, the second child she has adopted.

Guagenti declined Wednesday to say whether Pitt contracted the illness while in Africa.